ACLU of Kentucky

Troy Davis is set to be executed today at 7pm for the murder of Georgia police officer Mark MacPhail. This is following an action yesterday by the Georgia board of pardons denying his clemency. Now, only the Supreme Court can halt the execution. 

The story of Troy Davis’s struggle for justice has become infamous. Six of nine witnesses recanted their testimonies; several explained that police coerced them to name Davis as the shooter. Moreover, the murder weapon was never recovered and there is no physical evidence linking Davis to the crime.

The pending execution highlights Kentucky’s own cracked criminal justice system. Kentucky’s most recent pending execution was that of Gregory Wilson, who was scheduled to die in September 2010. Similar to Davis, Wilson’s case was mired with problems.

Pulaski County pays more than $230,000 to the ACLU of Kentucky

Louisville, KY – Today Pulaski County officials paid more than $230,000 to the ACLU of Kentucky for legal fees incurred by the civil rights organization in challenging the County’s posting of three separate Ten Commandments displays in its courthouse.

In addressing today’s payment, ACLU of Kentucky attorney William Sharp stated, “It is unfortunate that despite having lost before every court to consider this case, county officials nonetheless prolonged this litigation for more than a decade thereby increasing the financial burden on taxpayers.”  Sharp added, “This case reaffirms that government officials may not use public office to promote a religious agenda, and failure to abide by that basic constitutional limitation on governmental authority can be costly.”

“The ACLU of Ky. recognizes that many people feel strongly about this issue because it touches upon one of the most fundamental facets of one’s own identity — their religious beliefs,” explained ACLU of Kentucky Executive Director Michael Aldridge, “but ours is a limited form of government that lacks authority to promote a particular religion, even if that religion is shared by most people.  When courts reaffirm that principle, even when the decision is unpopular, it is a victory for everyone’s religious freedom.”