Today, August 23rd, retired Missouri Supreme Court Justice Michael Wolff issued an op-ed in the Missouri Times calling upon Governor Parson to grant Ernest Johnson Clemency.

“As I said, there is no doubt that Mr. Johnson committed a terrible crime. There is also no doubt that serving out the remainder of his days in prison, without the possibility of parole, is sufficiently harsh punishment in this case. The hallmark of a just society is in how we treat the lowest among us. Is justice served by the execution of a 60-year-old seriously brain-damaged man, whom evidence suggests has had intellectual and neurological dysfunction his entire life? Certainly, justice is not served by proceeding with an execution despite evidence suggesting the defendant never received the constitutional consideration of intellectual disability to which he was entitled. It should suffice that Mr. Johnson is condemned to die in prison someday, but not at the hands of the state.

The state gains nothing but mean-spirited retribution, and loses some of its sense of justice, by speeding up his date of death and killing him. Clemency is a remedy that shows the wisdom of centuries-old Anglo-American law and the wisdom of Missouri’s voters who have approved Missouri’s constitutions for 200 years that give our state’s chief executive the power to grant clemency. Gov. Parson should use this power. ” - Michael Wolff, Retired Missouri Supreme Court Justice

While calls for clemency continue for Ernest Johnson across the state, we want to thank all those who attended the Gathering for Remembrance, Life, and Mercy in Columbia Missouri at the Boone County Courthouse on August 20th for the victims of this crime, for Ernest Johnson, his friends and family, and all those who are affected by the death penalty system. 

We were joined with Nimrod Chapel, President of the Missouri NAACP, Laura Schopp, Ph.D., ABPP and board certified clinical Neuropsychologist, Michelle Smith, Racial Justice Coordinator of MADP, Jeff Stack of Mid-Missouri Fellowship of Reconciliation, Wiley Miller of the Columbia Chapter of MADP, and many other individuals who joined to further advocate for Ernest Johnson. You can view photos from the days event on our Facebook page @ madpmo.

Please remember to continue to share this petition with all you know and visit www.madpmo.org to use a toolkit to take action for Ernest. We need all of you to contact the Governor by writing, calling, and emailing him to seek mercy and grant clemency to Ernest.