Say what you have to say. Create a petition for free.

46,032 petitions, 4,032,961 signatures and counting!


130 Supporters

Created by André Kellner on June 8, 2005, 12:30 am

To the Governor of the State of Georgia /
President of the United States of America.

Petition on behalf of William David Riley.

We the undermentioned wish to support the petition on behalf of William David Riley. The circumstances of the case are:-

Mr. Riley was convicted of causing the death of his three children by arson. He was initially questioned on the basis that he was not a suspect. The police told him that they had hard evidence of arson and if he would confess they would help him. Under questioning he broke down and signed whatever was put in front of him. With the confession he was put on trial and it took the jury forty-two minutes to convict him. He was sentenced to death by lethal injection.
He has now been in prison for over four years.
Please press the Death Row Speaks banner to read more information on Mr. Riley's case and profile.

The grounds for this petition are:-

(1) The Fire Marshal's report said there was no evidence of arson.
(2) The basis for his conviction was his own confession which
was obtained under very dubious circumstances.
(3) His interrogation was carried out while he was still traumatised.
(4) During this period he was not accorded the customary phone call.
(5) During this period he was not provided with legal counsel.

We the petitioners plead for Mr. Riley to be granted one of the following:-

(1) A retrial with a credible defence and fair presentation of evidence.
(2) A pardon based on the probability that without the confession there would not have been a conviction.
(3) Executive clemency on the grounds that the foregoing does not add up to Mr. Riley having had a fair trial.

Mr. Riley's details are:

William David Riley
GDC #1131540 G-3-87
G.D.C.P.
Jackson
Georgia 30233-0078.

The public defender is:-

Holly Geerdes.
Senior Staff Attorney
Georgia Capitol Defender
Siute 900 South Tower.
225 Peachtree St.
Atlanta
Georgia
      


Discuss in Forums
Report Petition
View Statistics

Sign the Petition by signing the application below:

By filling out this form, you are agreeing to all the terms listed under this petition, and that you have read and agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.

PetitionSpot Widget

Get Adobe Flash player

  

Petition Signatures


128 31 May 2008 - 10:28    daphne oliel :
127 2 May 2008 - 21:54    lucia foster :
126 16 Dec 2007 - 10:27    A. Semmler : Get rid of death penatly alltogether!
125 1 Apr 2007 - 22:53    Jennifer McDermott : Please cease and stop this execution!
124 8 Jan 2007 - 13:05    Debra Ryan : God Bless You && I hope you come out ok.
123 4 Jan 2007 - 2:29    jeanne miller : This man never had a fair trial to start with and should be allowed to have a new trial and release him on grounds there was no real proof ever . Just small town mouths spreading there lies .
122 4 Jan 2007 - 0:17    Angela Clayton : Everyone deserves a fair trial and a fair chance, including Mr. Riley!!
121 3 Jan 2007 - 23:38    Kim : I believe William is innocent. My fiance is basically goin through the same thing but he was sentenced to 32 yrs for arson and there was NO physical evidence that he comitted the crime or DNA
120 3 Jan 2007 - 23:38    Kim : I believe William is innocent. My fiance is basically goin through the same thing but he was sentenced to 32 yrs for arson and there was NO physical evidence that he comitted the crime or DNA
119 25 Oct 2006 - 12:42    William S. Riley :
118 30 Aug 2006 - 14:33    veerle de smaele :
117 4 Aug 2006 - 0:26    ina : we both know how it is to loos someone you love, and when there is justice in the world, you deserve it, you said to me that i most never give up, now i say to you, never give up, never give up your right for freedom.
116 25 Jun 2006 - 3:50    Marie Sekund : If killing is the right thing to do, then who should kill the killer of the killer? Please show the world, that killing is never the answer and you have to be 100% sure, that this man i 100% guilty, befor you even let him stay in prison! Thank God that we in Sweden have a heart! Show us that you have one to!
115 6 May 2006 - 19:45    DEE : I live in Scptland in the UK, and i sometimes look at cases of people and think its an absolute disgrace at whats happening to them. this man deserves a fair trial!!!!!!!
114 25 Apr 2006 - 11:13    Helen Smith : I support this petition.
113 18 Apr 2006 - 4:30    L. Renee Briggs : I support this petition. Everyone deserves a fair trial.
112 7 Apr 2006 - 19:52    Karl-Heinz Hasselbusch : I support this petition.
111 5 Apr 2006 - 13:03    siska bakker : I support this petition. and please look again to the case.
110 25 Mar 2006 - 12:46    Andrea Vega : I support this petition.
109 18 Mar 2006 - 5:16    Sue Coote : I support this petition. After reading this it appears a retrial is a must. Fortunately in England we do not have the death penalty - perhaps one day the powers that be in the USA will end this barbaric punishment called Death Row.
108 8 Mar 2006 - 13:45    Cheyenne Guerrero : I strongly support this petition.
107 2 Mar 2006 - 4:12    Liam Kenneally : The justice system if unfair,give this man a second chance as i;m sure all of those involved in this case in any way have had if not more. Stop unfair play
106 28 Feb 2006 - 3:37    Amy Griffis : I support this petition.
105 28 Jan 2006 - 22:23    Angelique Groeneveld : I support this petition. I do not believe in his guilt, because there was no evidence of arson that would lead to William. I'm Angelique from The Netherlands. I'm not a believer in God, but he will be in my mind.
104 17 Jan 2006 - 21:47    Joanna : I support this petition.
103 10 Nov 2005 - 20:05    miranda verbeek : william is not guilty there is no proof that he killed his children he is innocent let him free so he can come home to his family i will pray for william and his mother and family
102 3 Nov 2005 - 5:19    hope hortense powers : I am truely appauled at the injustice in our country today. When poor people are targeted as the culprit of such crimes this really make my blood boil. The public defenders in most to all cases have very little to any knowledge at all to defend innocent citizens. Those public defenders who have knowledge to defend some are instead using our courtrooms and judges to get special favors and in turn the real culprit if there is one goes free. Even state witnesses are paid to lie to have their criminal activity extenguished. The Death Penalty is wrong. We are losing too many truly innocent people to this state sanctioned murder. The blood of these innocent people will be on all those hands who have the power to intervene and stop this savage behavior. Justice should never depend on how much money one has to hire an adequate lawyer.
101 31 Oct 2005 - 22:47    michell southam :
100 21 Oct 2005 - 2:14    Khim : Please give Mr. Riley a fair trial. He's my pen pal and a very good man!
99 4 Oct 2005 - 15:13    André de Raaij :
98 3 Oct 2005 - 14:41    Annabelle Parker : Mr Riley should get a retrial!
97 6 Aug 2005 - 9:08    goodluck william : from things i have read it looks to me like the courts have a hard time admitting to being wrong they would rather kill a person than admit to being wrong otherwise they would give him a retrial i have no clue how these people sleep at night ---- goodluck from england to william and his family xxxxxxxxx
96 4 Aug 2005 - 6:01    KT Jeremiah : Give William the FAIR trial that we would want for ourselves.
95 3 Aug 2005 - 0:30    Jenny : I would like to say thank you all for your support in signing this petition for my son.God Bless each and everyone of you.Love and caring fills my heart.Thank you again. William's Mom
94 2 Aug 2005 - 5:42    Lisa Warner : I am sending my support from Australia
93 31 Jul 2005 - 0:17    Winterhawk : Remember what I've say to you William; they can take away everything from you but they can't take your mind. Winterhawk
92 25 Jul 2005 - 16:53    Sandra Myers :
91 15 Jul 2005 - 1:12    Annie Jones : I am not sure if you can sign this petition more than once, but if I could I would sign it a thousand times. Please allow this to be retried FAIRLY!!!!!
90 15 Jul 2005 - 1:12    Annie Jones :
89 15 Jul 2005 - 0:48    lisa : instead of getting support and help to come to terms with the death of his children he gets blamed for it and sentanced to death i'm disgusted that these types of things happen in 2005 i sit here reading them and feel so sad by what i read i can't even begin to imagine what these people go through on a daily basis .
88 15 Jul 2005 - 0:39    lisa : i'm 30 years old born and raised in england i came across the death row speaks website and was totally shocked by all i see how can the country do this to it's own people i personally believe that death penalty is murder and cruel and even worse if that person is innocent as william is i wish him all the luck in the world
87 13 Jul 2005 - 8:23    Nicole G-W : I know william is NOT guilty, and i think that whoever thinks he is capable of doing something like that is gay, gay, GAY!!! FREE WILLIAM!
86 29 Jun 2005 - 19:09    Martha Underwood :
85 29 Jun 2005 - 15:10    Sara Horton : The least this man deserves is a fair trial
84 28 Jun 2005 - 1:35    Christine Leccese : In view of all the circumstances involved, it seems justice would be served by granting Bill a new trial.
83 27 Jun 2005 - 11:41    Rachel Dunstan : Give Bill a fair go
82 24 Jun 2005 - 13:32    krissie Rainbow : As Bill's pen pal and sister in christ i believe he is a good person and deserves a new trial.I belive there isn't enough evidence to have a case and hope and prayer the lord God will change the hearts of the people and somehow help him.I am here Bill.FIGHT!
81 21 Jun 2005 - 5:39    Wade M. : I think William should have a new trial,look at all the mistakes that have been made.Please re-trial don't execute an innocent man.
80 19 Jun 2005 - 21:12    jackie walsh :
79 19 Jun 2005 - 0:04    isabel magos :
view more