As students hustled down College Avenue on Friday evening, a group of seven students stood still at the Allen Street gates with candles in hand.
The students were participating in National Teach-In week for Troy Davis, a project spearheaded by Amnesty International, a worldwide group seeking to protect human rights.
In 1991, Troy Davis was convicted with the 1989 shooting of a Savannah, Ga., police officer and has been on death row ever since. His conviction relied on eyewitness testimony, said Arielle Hesse (senior-French, Jewish studies and geography), a student taking part in the vigil. Since his arrest, seven out of nine witnesses have recanted their testimony, she said.
On Aug. 17, the U.S. Supreme Court issued an order for a new evidentiary hearing for the inmate, according to Amnesty International's Web site.
"We find the case to be compelling because it is such a clear injustice within our justice system," Hesse said.
Aaron Seener (sophomore-music education) said the case represents what's wrong with the American judicial system.
"This case is the epitome of why the system is ineffective. It is the ultimate stripping of human rights," he said.
Group members stressed that Amnesty International does not protest. Rather, the group held the vigil in order to honor Davis and raise awareness of the case.
By holding a sign with Davis' name as well as black and white pictures of his face, group members said they hoped people on College Avenue would take notice.
Jason Gordon (sophomore-economics) said he stopped by because he was "just curious." He had never heard of the Davis case before and said he was surprised by what he learned.
But many people walking past seemed more concerned with Saturday night's football game, passing by without giving the vigil so much as a glance.
