Troy Davis Story Gets More Empathy Than Executed Lawrence Brewer?
Two men were executed on Wednesday for separate murders that they both denied committing and received starkly different reactions from people across the nation.
Troy Davis was executed on Wednesday for allegedly killing Mark MacPhail, an off-duty Georgia cop in 1989. Davis denied that he had any part in MacPhail’s murder, and many people have come to believe him after the majority of the witnesses used to convict him recanted their stories.
Before Davis was executed on Wednesday night, he maintained his innocence in front of MacPhail’s family.
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”I'd like to address the MacPhail family,” Davis said. “Let you know, despite the situation you are in, I'm not the one who personally killed your son, your father, your brother. I am innocent.”
Lawrence Brewer, a white supremacist, was executed on the same day as Davis for the 1998 murder of a James Byrd Jr., a black man who asked for a ride. Brewer and friends allegedly picked up Byrd, beat, chained and dragged him on the back of their truck before killing him and dumping his body in front of a cemetery.
Although Brewer admitted to beating Byrd, he maintained that he never killed anybody. However, the reactions to the two cases were extremely different.
Some took to Twitter to express their disgust for Brewer’s crime.
"On another note people justice was served,” one person wrote. “Lawrence Russell Brewer was executed yesterday for the dragging of James Byrd."
Another wrote, “That dude deserved guns AND electric chairs."
People seemed more forgiving when it came to fighting for the death of Davis. While celebrities and thousands of people spoke out against Davis’ death, Twitter made him a trending topic.
“Asked my professor if we could have a moment of silence for the murder of Troy Davis," one person wrote.
Reports of fasts, prayers and protests erupted across the nation for Davis. However, some pointed out that there were different reactions for the two executed men.
"Lawrence Brewer was also executed while claiming his innocence,” one person wrote. “Said he assaulted the man, but did not kill him. He didn't get any attention."
Another questioned celebrity reactions and the public outcry.
"Why no outrage among celebrities over the execution of racist lyncher Lawrence Russell Brewer,” one person questioned on Twitter.
