Troy Davis Story: Supporters Question Why Casey Anthony and Charles Manson Still 'Alive'
Troy Davis was executed Wednesday night by way of lethal injection, despite an eleventh-hour plea filed by his defense team to stop the death sentence. Today, outraged supporters are questioning why people such as Casey Anthony and Charles Manson are still alive when someone like Davis has been put to death.
Casey Anthony was acquitted of murdering her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee, on July 5, 2011. After weeks of deliberating, the jury found Anthony not guilty – a verdict that ignited outrage among the public.
Anthony is currently serving probation on a check fraud conviction in Orange County, Fla.
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Charles Manson, on the other hand, is a convicted serial killer who founded the cult group known as "The Family."
Manson manipulated his followers into murdering actress Sharon Tate and seven other victims. He was found guilty of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the early 1970s and is currently serving out a life sentence.
An account dedicated to Troy Davis has been created on Twitter, and the hastag "#RIPTroyDavis" as well as the terms "Casey Anthony" and "Charles Manson" have made it onto Twitter's Trends list.
Many tweeters have been wondering why Davis' case, which had seven of the nine witnesses recant their testimonies, was any more credible than Casey Anthony or Charles Manson's contentious trials.
@RIPTROYADAVIS tweeted, "Casey Anthony gets a book deal, while #TroyDavis got a last meal. Charles Manson is still alive, and an innocent man just died. #RIPTROYDAVIS."
The Troy Davis account, which states: "He was shown no justice, no mercy, but he still forgave. He is in our hearts and minds. Follow to show support for him and the message he has brought us," has over 50,000 followers.
"Casey Anthony is free and safe while Troy Davis was executed baseless. What more can we say abt the #American justice system? #RIPTroyDavis," tweeted @MalangChic.
@KattaContreras wrote, "Troy Davis was put down like a dog, Jamey Rodemeyer 14 bullied 2 death & Casey Anthony free from charges & gets a book deal #PrayForTheWorld."
"If Troy Davis situation has taught us anything today, its that Casey Anthony should've been black. #YeahISaidIt!!!," said @TRizzleComedy.
@OneFaithLove tweeted, "Charles Manson. Casey Anthony. Both Alive. A man whose innocence was overwhelmingly clear? Murdered tonight, in America. Home of the brave."
"#TroyDavis is dead while 'CHARLES MANSON' is still 'Alive' in prison. I’m done!" proclaimed @rn1814.
However, there are those that do not see the comparison between Davis and Manson.
@leahblizz asked, "Is Charles Manson evil and responsible for deaths? Yes. Did he commit murder? No, morons. #applesandoranges."
"Do research,” @KayeDunaway insisted, “Charles Manson never killed anyone. #Fact #Groupthink."
@Missing_Linc wrote, "Now they're comparing Troy Davis to Charles Manson…They’re obviously not aware that Manson NEVER killed anyone. Get the facts."
Manson, although he himself did not kill anyone, was held culpable through a joint-responsibility rule, which makes each member of a conspiracy guilty of crimes his fellow conspirators commit.
Davis' defense team made a last-ditch effort to halt their client's execution, delaying the sentence from being carried out for hours as 7 p.m. came and went.
It was not until about 10:20 p.m. that news emerged that the Supreme Court had denied Davis' final plea.
According to the Associated Press, the 42-year-old told relatives of Mark MacPhail, the police officer who was gunned down, that he was not responsible for the 1989 murder.
"I did not have a gun," he insisted. "All I can ask…is that you look deeper into this case so that you really can finally see the truth."
Troy Davis was declared dead at 11:08 p.m. EDT.
