Kevin Johnson has been on execution row for the murder of Kirkwood Police Sgt. William McEntee for more than ten years. Johnson will be put to death by lethal injection for the murder in July 2005.
Khorry Ramey, Johnson’s 19-year-old daughter, asked to see the execution on Friday, but the judge in federal court turned her down. To witness an execution in Missouri, you must be at least 21 years old.
Ramey had Michelle Smith from Missourians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty read a statement on her behalf, in which she claimed that this choice would cause her excruciating pain.
Smith read, “It is agonizing to know that I am about to lose my dad once more when the state of Missouri murders him. “Yet I cannot see his death just because of my age,” she continued. Ramey’s attendance was also encouraged by Shawn Nolan, the lawyer for Johnson.
Kevin was 19 years old when he committed this crime, and yet they are still trying to carry out his execution, even though they won’t let his daughter, who is also 19 years old, witness it because she is too young, according to Nolan.
Ramey claims in the statement Smith read for her that she not only wanted to attend as a witness but that her father also wanted her to.
Other than my infant kid, I am my dad’s closest living relative, Smith writes. “I would sit by my dad’s side, hold his hand, and pray for him until he passed away if he were in a hospital dying. In order to help me through my grief process and for my own peace of mind, it serves as a source of support for both him and me.
Gov. Mike Parson of Missouri is being urged by numerous people to pardon criminals.
His comments astonished me, says Nolan. “In my opinion, the governor ought to be more concerned about racism in Missouri’s judicial system. We’re hoping he’ll give it another glance and carefully consider the details we included in the clemency appeal.
Parson stated earlier this week that the execution will go as scheduled as far as his office is concerned.
After shooting the police officer several times, “you got a guy who went over there and cold-bloodedly killed a police officer by two shots in the head,” Parson said. “This crime is pretty terrible. You occasionally have to face the repercussions of that.
The execution of Johnson is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 29.
Arguments regarding a request for a stay of execution, which would prevent the execution from taking place on Tuesday, will be heard by the Missouri Supreme Court on Monday.