Troy Davis was executed on September 21, 2011 for the 1989 murder of an off-duty police officer, despite maintaining his innocence until the end. Witnesses who testified against him had since recanted, and reports claimed another man admitted to the shooting. While some argue the death penalty provides justice for victims, others argue it simply passes suffering to new victims and does not truly remedy the initial crime. There is also debate around whether the death penalty deters crime or if race plays a role in sentencing.