Representatives Bush, Cleaver Urge Missouri Governor Parson to Halt Execution of Johnny Johnson
Mr. Johnson suffers from severe mental illness; Execution scheduled for August 1st
Washington D.C. (July 29, 2023) — Congresswoman Cori Bush (MO-01) and Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, II (MO-05) sent a letter to Missouri Governor Mike Parson urging him to halt the execution of Johnny Johnson, and to commute his sentence. Mr. Johnson’s execution was initially scheduled for August 1, 2023, however the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals intervened and issued a temporary stay of execution for Mr. Johnson. However, Missouri appealed that ruling and it could be overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court. Members of the victim’s family are also calling on the Governor to stay Mr. Johnson’s execution.
Mr. Johnson has suffered from severe mental illness and cognitive impairments his entire life. He has received numerous diagnoses, including schizophrenia, major depression, psychotic disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, and borderline personality disorder. He was in the grips of active psychosis when he committed the offense for which he is scheduled to be executed.
“Nothing is lost by halting the execution to assess Mr. Johnson’s competency, as the Eighth Circuit ruled; in contrast, his life stands to be unlawfully taken,” wrote the lawmakers. “Each of us is more than the worst thing we’ve ever done. The same is true for Mr. Johnson. As ordained ministers, we believe in accountability and the sanctity of life, and do not think these tenets are mutually exclusive. We must therefore make investments in the social and economic well-being of all people. In order to do so, we must first acknowledge the moral depravity of executions.”
A copy of the letter can be found HERE.
Representatives Bush and Cleaver have written similar letters to Governor Parson ahead of the state-sanctioned executions of Amber McLaughlin, Kevin Johnson and Ernest Johnson.
Since first coming to Congress, Congresswoman Bush has been a national leader in the push for clemency reform and the need to end the death penalty. In February 2021, the Congresswoman urged President Biden to use his pardon power to correct legacies of injustice in the clemency process, including a call to commute the sentences of all on federal death row. In December 2021, Congresswoman Bush, alongside Representatives Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) and Hakeem Jeffries (NY-08), introduced the Fair and Independent Experts in Clemency (FIX Clemency) Act, historic legislation that works to transform our nation’s broken clemency system and address the growing mass incarceration crisis. She is a proud cosponsor of the Federal Death Penalty Prohibition Act, which would end the use of the death penalty by the federal government.