Cobb Reacts to Troy Davis Execution

Troy Davis, 42, was declared dead Wednesday night at 11:08 p.m. at the Georgia State Prison in Jackson after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected his final appeal, according to news reports. The lethal injection began about 15 minutes earlier.

Davis was convicted of the 1989 murder of off-duty Savannah police officer Mark MacPhail; years of legal appeals followed the conviction.

MacPhail's widow, Joan MacPhail-Harris, said there was "nothing to rejoice," but that it was "a time for healing for all families," according to FOX 5 Atlanta.

Updated Sept. 23:

"From a Christian theological perspective any killing is a removal of life and when you execute someone, even a convicted murderer (and I understand that in the case of Davis there were some serious questions) not only do you take a life, but you also create an other killer, the executioner," Fr. Panayiotis of the Holy Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church told Northeast Cobb Patch. "The Orthodox Church has always been against any kind of killing and has drawn the line, emphasizing the significance of this, by forbidding anyone who has ever killed (even defensively) from entering the ranks of the clergy. In addition, if someone who is already a priest were to kill someone he is not allowed to exercise his priesthood any more."

Here's what people at the Starbucks in Northeast Cobb had to say:

"Georgia executed a man based on eye witness testimony and seven of the nine witnesses recanted. There's doubt," said Stacy Conners, mother of three. "It's horrible. I can't even talk about it. I'm sorry."

"Shame on our Supreme Court. Shame on the state of Georgia," said Mark Hamilton.

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• Rich Pellegrino, director of Cobb Immigrant Alliance: "This is the ultimate extreme of taking a blind eye to justice. Our society has degenerated into targeting the vulnerable and taking our revenge. It's just a travesty."

• Rep. Alisha Morgan (D-Austell): "It is unfathomable, unthinkable, inexplicable to try to understand and articulate how anyone can feel (in Davis' position.). In my heart of hearts, I believe that he is innocent. I'm heartbroken today. It's all I've been thinking about. I'm having a hard time having faith in the Georgia justice system knowing this man could die tonight, but I'm a woman of faith and I'm continuing to pray all day that God is going to work this out. At 6:58, I'll be praying. At 6:59, I'll be praying. The world is looking at Georgia. Either we do right by Troy or we'll have to deal with serious problems in our justice system. (Troy's case) should sound an alarm."

• In an email, Cynthia McGarity, founder of Rehoboth Family and Community Services Inc. for parents of incarcerated children, wrote: I have captured a quote I heard from Joyce Meyer, a highly acclaimed Christian leader. Joyce simply said, "WE CAN BE PITIFUL OR POWERFUL BUT WE CANNOT BE BOTH." I feel as everyone else (does). However, there is a lot to be said as well as learned from Troy Davis. If Troy's life is not spared, it will be memorialized. His cause will be a catalyst for change. His name will be a thorn in death penalty history for the state of Georgia. For Troy and his family, my heart has been heavy. I have signed every petition. My hope is in knowing that change can come. If there is doubt, the ominous value and dignity of life should be preserved. I cannot understand how his death, under any circumstances, brings peace to the officer's family. I understand the violent loss of a loved one, however many have experienced the loss of life of a loved one and forgave. I have found that those who show no mercy somewhere in life need to receive mercy. We can be pitiful or powerful, but we cannot be both.

For Atlanta reaction on the Davis execution, visit East Atlanta Patch's CoverItLive blog of Twitter comments.

Return to Northeast Cobb Patch for continuing coverage of local reaction.

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