Georgia death row appeal denied

WASHINGTON (CNN) - The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected an appeal from a Georgia death row inmate who has gained international support for his claims of innocence in the the murder of a Savannah police officer in 1989.

The high court issued a brief order Tuesday refusing to intervene in the latest appeal from Troy Davis.

The justices had issued a stay of execution two hours before Davis was to be put to death last month. The court's latest action clears the way for corrections officials to set a new date to put him to death, perhaps in the next few weeks.

Prominent figures ranging from the pope to the musical group Indigo Girls have asked Georgia to grant Davis a new trial. Other supporters include celebrities Susan Sarandon and Harry Belafonte; world leaders such as former President Jimmy Carter and former Archbishop Desmond Tutu; and former and current U.S. lawmakers Bob Barr, Carol Moseley Braun and John Lewis.
–From Bill Mears, CNN Supreme Court Producer