Friends and family of Canadian imprisoned in Flori

TORONTO, Oct. 31, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On November 1, 2017, at 9:45am, legal counsel and a family representative for William “Russ” Davies will hold a press conference at Union Station to request that Florida transfer the Canadian citizen home from the state prison system where he has been held for the last three decades. The press conference is timed to take place immediately before one that Florida Governor Rick Scott will be holding at Union Station that same day in an effort to promote tourism.

In 1986 Davies, an 18-year-old runaway, was charged along with five friends in the shooting death of another member of their group. His co-accused pleaded out for probation or short sentences. Davies rejected a plea bargain and maintained his innocence. Following a seven hour trial in March 1988 (considered by some to be a sham), he was found guilty. The prosecution’s case relied heavily on the evidence of a witness who was intoxicated and attempting to urinate out of the window of a car during the nighttime incident. Since then Davies has spent the last thirty-one years in various Florida prisons. His elderly parents, whose health has been steadily declining, are too ill to continue making the long distance visits to see him.

Last year Canadian authorities approved Davies’ latest request for a prison transfer, which would allow him to serve the remainder of his sentence in a Canadian prison close to his family. This is made possible under a bi-lateral transfer treaty with the United States.

However despite this approval from Ottawa, repeated pleas from his family, and increasing public attention, there has been silence from Florida authorities. According to information obtained in 2016 by the Canadian Press, Florida incarcerates more Canadians than any other state (97 as of last year) yet only allowed four transfers between 2000 and 2010.

This Wednesday Florida Governor Rick Scott will be at Toronto’s Union Station encouraging Canadians to visit Florida. However despite repeated requests to his office for a very brief meeting to discuss Davies’ case, Governor Scott’s staff has refused to accommodate a request for even five minutes of his time. Shane Martinez, Davies’ Toronto-based lawyer, states, “This injustice has gone on far too long. If the Governor wants to improve Canadians’ view of Florida and promote tourism, this can be done by a simple act of compassion and good will: approve the prison transfer request and allow Davies to return to Canada.”

Press conference details

The press conference calling for Davies’ transfer to Canada will be happening on Wednesday, November 1, 2017, at Union Station, 65 Front Street West, at 9:45am, beneath the clock at the Information Desk inside the Front Street entrance to Union Station.

For more information, please contact Davies’ lawyer Shane Martinez by phone at (647) 717- 8111 or by e-mail at: shane@martinezlaw.ca

Additional information on Davies’ case can also be found by visiting: www.friendsofrusselldavies.com