Dayonn Davis of Columbus, Ga., has experienced the very worst of our justice system. His case illustrates how profoundly the abuse of discretion by prosecutors and judges can affect the lives of not just defendants, but families and communities.
In January 2016, Davis, then 15, answered a Facebook ad seeking a buyer for a pair of Nike sneakers. He and a friend met the seller in a park; after trying the shoes on, Davis said, “these shoes is took,” all reports seem to agree. Then Davis’s friend pulled a gun, and all three ran. Davis ultimately identified the friend, but the seller couldn’t pick him out of a lineup.
The shoes are worth about $100. Davis didn’t know his friend was bringing a gun, he says. But because the shoes were found in Davis’s closet, he ended up on the hook for possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime and armed robbery.
Davis was charged as an adult, despite being an A/B student without a criminal record. His defense attorney described him as “extremely remorseful.” Yet, after he pleaded guilty, the judge sentenced him to five years in prison and 10 years of probation.
There were so many moments in which a more reasonable decision could have changed the outcome of the entire case. Instead, decision after decision compounded the injustice Davis faced. Trying him as an adult, charging him with armed robbery, and sentencing him to five years in prison—why?
Some prosecutors just like to rack up convictions, acting to further their interests rather than those of society; too many judges like to impose their own brand of justice. Accountability comes only in the form of appeal or public outrage, if at all. It’s time to direct some outrage at Columbus County’s justice system.