The Missouri Supreme Court has denied a stay of execution request for death row inmate Kevin Johnson.The court issued its decision Monday night.Johnson is set to be executed Tuesday at 6 p.m.A special prosecutor and attorneys for Johnson argued Monday at the Supreme Court, not for Johnson’s innocence, but alleging that racial discrimination played a part in him receiving the death penalty.Johnson has admitted to shooting and killing Kirkwood police Sgt. William McEntee in 2005.The special prosecutor looked at all five cases involving police officer deaths under the tenure of former St. Louis County prosecutor Bob McCulloch. He sought the death penalty in all four cases involving Black defendants but not in the one case where the defendant was white.Attorneys and supporters asked for a stay so another court to weigh in on those racial bias claims.”Kevin has repented for his sins. He has taken Christ into his heart and has apologized to Sgt. McEntee’s family, his own family, and everyone else for this horrible thing he did. He’s not asking to be excused, simply that he shouldn’t be murdered by a trick,” said Nimrod Chapel, president of the Missouri NAACP.The governor has said that clemency would not be granted in Johnson’s case.Johnson’s attorneys said they plan to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
The Missouri Supreme Court has denied a stay of execution request for death row inmate Kevin Johnson.
The court issued its decision Monday night.
Johnson is set to be executed Tuesday at 6 p.m.
A special prosecutor and attorneys for Johnson argued Monday at the Supreme Court, not for Johnson’s innocence, but alleging that racial discrimination played a part in him receiving the death penalty.
Johnson has admitted to shooting and killing Kirkwood police Sgt. William McEntee in 2005.
The special prosecutor looked at all five cases involving police officer deaths under the tenure of former St. Louis County prosecutor Bob McCulloch. He sought the death penalty in all four cases involving Black defendants but not in the one case where the defendant was white.
Attorneys and supporters asked for a stay so another court to weigh in on those racial bias claims.
“Kevin has repented for his sins. He has taken Christ into his heart and has apologized to Sgt. McEntee’s family, his own family, and everyone else for this horrible thing he did. He’s not asking to be excused, simply that he shouldn’t be murdered by a trick,” said Nimrod Chapel, president of the Missouri NAACP.
The governor has said that clemency would not be granted in Johnson’s case.
Johnson’s attorneys said they plan to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)