Ernest Johnson was executed in Missouri on Tuesday, October 5, 2021, for the 1994 murders of three convenience store employees during a robbery. His execution, the seventh in the US this year, proceeded despite significant appeals for clemency from various groups, including racial justice activists, lawmakers, and even Pope Francis. This case has sparked renewed debate concerning capital punishment, intellectual disability, and the role of the 8th Amendment.
The Crime and Conviction: A Brutal Robbery and Triple Murder
Nearly three decades ago, the quiet college town of Columbia, Missouri, was shaken by a brutal crime. Ernest Johnson, a frequent customer of a local Casey’s General Store, robbed the store on February 12, 1994, seeking money to buy drugs. Armed with a borrowed .25-caliber pistol, he waited until closing time, when only three employees remained: manager Mary Bratcher, 46, and employees Mabel Scruggs, 57, and Fred Jones, 58.
Johnson’s confession, recorded in a 2004 videotaped interview with a psychologist, revealed the horrifying details. He admitted to shooting all three victims and then attacking them with a claw hammer. Bratcher also suffered a stab wound to her hand from a screwdriver. The bodies were discovered by police, two in the bathroom and one in a cooler.
Undated photo of Ernest Johnson, provided by the Missouri Department of Corrections.
The ensuing investigation quickly led to Johnson’s arrest. Police found discarded evidence near the crime scene, including a bloody screwdriver, gloves, clothing, and a bag containing cash, coin wrappers, partially burned checks, and shoes matching bloody footprints inside the store. This evidence, coupled with Johnson’s confession, sealed his fate.
Johnson was sentenced to death three separate times. The initial sentence was followed by a second in 2003, after the US Supreme Court had ruled against executing the intellectually disabled. This second sentence was overturned by the Missouri Supreme Court, leading to a third death sentence in 2006.
The Clemency Pleas: A Chorus of Voices Against Execution
The execution of Ernest Johnson became a focal point for a national conversation about capital punishment. Pope Francis, through a representative, urged Governor Mike Parson to grant clemency, emphasizing the sanctity of human life. This echoed a similar intervention by Pope John Paul II in 1999, which successfully commuted the death sentence of another Missouri inmate. The Catholic Church’s unwavering opposition to the death penalty added significant moral weight to the clemency appeals.
Democratic US Representatives Cori Bush and Emmanuel Cleaver joined the chorus of voices pleading for mercy, citing racial justice concerns. Johnson’s case underscored the ongoing debate regarding racial disparities within the criminal justice system.
The Legal Arguments: Intellectual Disability and the 8th Amendment
Johnson’s defense team consistently argued that his execution would violate the 8th Amendment’s prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. They presented evidence of Johnson’s lifelong intellectual disability, including consistently low IQ scores dating back to his childhood. They also highlighted his diagnosis of fetal alcohol syndrome and the significant brain tissue loss he suffered due to a tumor removal in 2008. These factors, they argued, rendered him ineligible for the death penalty.
Despite these arguments, the courts ultimately declined to intervene, clearing the way for the execution to proceed.
The Execution and Aftermath: A Somber End to a Decades-Long Case
On Tuesday, October 5, 2021, Ernest Johnson was executed by lethal injection at the state prison in Bonne Terre, Missouri. He offered a final written statement expressing remorse and love for his family and friends. The execution was witnessed by relatives of both Johnson and his victims. A small group of demonstrators gathered outside the prison to protest the state’s decision.
Johnson’s execution reignited the debate surrounding the death penalty in the United States. His case highlighted the complex intersection of legal arguments, ethical considerations, and the human cost of capital punishment.
The Death Penalty in the United States: A Declining Trend
While the number of executions in the US peaked at 98 in 1999, the trend has been steadily declining. In 2021, only 17 executions were carried out, reflecting a broader societal shift in attitudes toward capital punishment. The case of Ernest Johnson, however, underscores the ongoing complexities and controversies surrounding this deeply divisive issue.
Conclusion: A Case Study in Capital Punishment
The execution of Ernest Johnson leaves behind a complex legacy. It raises profound questions about intellectual disability, the application of the death penalty, and the ongoing quest for justice within the criminal justice system. This case serves as a stark reminder of the human element at the center of these legal and moral debates, prompting continued reflection on the future of capital punishment in the United States.
