THE American The state of Missouri is expected to execute a death row inmate and his 19-year-old daughter today not to be allowed near her father during its execution, due to her age.
Kevin Johnson was exactly the same age when he killed a white police officer in suburban St. Louis in 2005.
Sentenced to death for this crime, this 37-year-old African-American man will receive a lethal injection at 6:00 p.m. (local time, 2:00 a.m. Greek time) at Bonne Terre Prison.
As the deadline approached, his lawyers brought a series of lawsuits in trying to save him, in particular due to suspicions of racism in the legal process. However, none of their efforts have succeeded so far.
Similarly, Corionsa Ramey’s daughter failed to convince the courts that Missouri’s state law setting 21 as the minimum age to watch an execution, is arbitrary and unconstitutional.
“It breaks my heart to not be able to be with my father in his final momentsshe said after a federal judge rejected her request on Friday.
“He has been there for me throughout my life, despite his imprisonment. He is a good father, the only parent I have left.” said the young lady.
According to court documents, Kevin Johnson shot and killed a white police officer on July 5, 2005; two hours after his 12-year-old brother died of a heart attack. He was convinced that the police, who were present at the time of death, were responsible for his death.
After a first trial in which jurors could not agree on a verdict, Kevin Johnson was convicted in 2007 of death penalty.
But the prosecutor who had taken over his case – who was replaced in 2019 – was accused of treating black and white defendants differently, prompting his successor to open a unit aimed at correcting potential miscarriages of justice.
In this context, a special prosecutor was appointed in the fall to look into the Kevin Johnson file. In mid-November, he asked the court to stay the execution until his investigation was completed.
His appeal, as well as a similar request filed by Johnson’s lawyers, were denied last night by the Missouri Supreme Court.
Kevin Johnson he will become the 17th death row inmate to be executed since the beginning of the year in the US according to the Athens News Agency.
Source: News Beast
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