Christopher Johnson

     
  The Japan Times Crime in America: execution of the mentally ill

By CESAR CHELALA

NEW YORK — Christopher Johnson's execution by the State of Alabama creates serious doubts about the justice of a measure that is widely criticized by human rights advocates throughout the world. According to the group Equal Justice Initiative, the Alabama Supreme Court planned the execution without even engaging in a meaningful review of the case.

Guardian, U.K.

Christopher Johnson is set to die in Holman prison's lethal injection chamber

Alabama is scheduled to execute on Thursday evening a prisoner who has voluntarily waived all his rights to an appeal, raising the possibility that the state is about to carry out what amounts to a government-assisted suicide.

In a statement issued by Project Hope to Abolish the Death Penalty, executive director Esther Brown said even though the organization respects Johnson's right to have the death penalty imposed, they questioned his motives.

"We are a prisoner organization and therefore respect a prisoner's wishes. Nevertheless, we question Mr. Johnson's mental stability, which would allow him to make this kind of decision," Brown said.

Alabama set to execute man for 2005 death of his infant son
www.reuters.com
 

   "I urge you to stop all state killing, including the execution of Christopher T. Johnson on October 20. We cannot be complicit in any form of state killing! Not in our name!

Please STOP THE DEATH PENALTY and believe in rehabilitation, humanity and help, instead of death sentence, hate and revenge. The judicial system has on several ocasions allowed the execution of people who possibly, and in some cases certainly, were innocent. This system does not provide citizens the right to legal security and fair trial. Execute Justice not People ! Sincerely..."