UPDATE: Michael Dewayne Johnson committed suicide in his cell just 18 hours before his date with a gurney. He lived like a coward, and died like one, too.
_____________________
On October 19, 2006 Michael Dewayne Johnson will be executed for the 1996 murder of 27-year old Jeff Wetterman in Lorena, TX. Wetterman, who worked at the Lorena Fastime convenience store, had gone out to pump the gas for Johnson and accomplice David Vest — which was the practice of the store at the time.
After Wetterman finished pumping $24 worth of gas into the stolen car that they were driving, Johnson shot Wetterman in the face with a 9mm pistol, which severed Wetterman’s spinal cord.
Johnson was 18-years old at the time. Vest had just turned 17 years old the day before the crime.
Johnson’s supporters believe that he is innocent of killing Wetterman and therefore should not be on Death Row. The basis for their belief is that Vest signed under oath a factual stipulation in which he confessed to shooting Wetterman. However, at Johnson’s trial, Vest recanted and claimed that Johson did in fact shoot Wetterman.
I’m not sure why Vest signed that confession. I’m not sure why he recanted. I don’t know which time he was telling the truth and which time he lied.
However, three other witnesses (Larry Reynolds, Michael Barry, and Paul Muniti) all testified that Johnson had admitted/bragged to them that he was the one who had shot Wetterman.
This was the ruling of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth District regarding Johnson’s appeal based on Vest’s previous confession:
We cannot say that no reasonable jury would have found Johnson guilty where there witnesses, unaffected by Vest’s testimoney or the potentially exculpatory evidence and Vest’s related plea, each testified that Johnson confessed to shooting the victim.
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Let him ride the lightning.
No matter which one did the actual shooting-he was there. He was in on it. Fry him!
par·tic·i·pa·tion: (n). The act of taking part or sharing in something.
ex·e·cu·tion: (n). What this POS deserves.
When will the USA stop killing its citizens and become a truly merciful country. We would then all see what a truly proud and gloriuos country it is. Nothing will be acheived by killing Michael Dewayne Johnson except some misguided momentary satisfaction of revenge.
I agree Eric, perhaps a more Euroweenie approach would suit better, perhaps 1 year, early release and a jolly good speaking to would suffice.
When are we going to stop saying that it is wrong to kill, then kill those who kill others?
When are we going to stop saying we oppose abortion because it is ending a human life, and then support ending another human life?
And, specifically to Ben, there is a vast distance between execution and a one-year prison sentence. Life imprisonment without possibility of parole, for instance.
Just curious.
I know Michael more than the average person as I have been a pen pal to him for many months now. I can not believe that the state of Texas is going to MURDER my friend. I feel helpless!! I surely will miss you Michael if this injustice is seen through. I can not believe that in 2006 that the laws are so heartless…..The facts are there is a signed confession, what are the courts doing……Reasonable doubt is surrounding this case and yet they want to murder my friend. I believe in his innocence. Im praying for you mate. United States of America STOP killing!!!!!
Wow, I really do not know where to begin except to say that the governor of Texas could have stepped in and stopped this execution of my Michael Dwayne Johnson.
I hope that the fine people of Texas think about this when it comes time for the governor to be re-elected. Mike should have been punished for knowing that the car was stolen and the gun and the fact they planned on stealing gas. However this does not warrant the death that he is facing.
The governor will one day have to face God, he will have to answer as to why he did nothing about this and yet had the ability to.
In the world that we live in today the government can spend thousands of dollars in ways that is not beneficial to the people, yet they can’t take the time or spend money trying to help people that need help in trying to get a fair trial.
The burden of proof that Mike did not commit the murder is on him, however when the burden of proof is proven that he did not commit the act of a killing then he should have never been placed on death row.
To the ones that can make statements that he should†fry” you better hope that this does not happen to you, your friend or a family member because it could, that’s life.
To the board of pardons and to the governor of Texas you might as well of taken a gun and shot Michael until he died. For this is what you have done, but in another way, his blood shed shall forever be on your hands. You had the ability to stop this and done nothing, why because of the lack of caring.
http://www.adelante.com/michaeljohnson/help.html
This guy committed suicide last night.
What proof do you have that he committed suicide last night.
I think that this should be checked out before this was allowed.
Proof that he killed himself:
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4272131.html
It’s true. The coward slit his own throat 18 hours before his scheduled execution. May it bring some sense of closure to all the victims in this case.
He’s been on my tax-payer dime for more than 10 years. The little worthless piece of shit should have done this 9 1/2 years ago.
I guess the guilt was just a little too much for him to bear.
To Jack Blake,
If Johnson knew that they were about to perpetrate a felony by armed robbery, then anything that happened during the robbery makes both parties equally guilty…..even if Johnson didn’t pull the trigger. I assume you knew this person…you too are a victim if this is the case. But you mentioned how God will judge the governor one day for his refusal to commute the death sentence. Well, Mr. Johnson will be judged by God today. And he/she/it (God) won’t get the sentence wrong whatever it is.
P.S.
Mr. Johnson made a choice when they went to that gas station…and that choice had a consequence. I don’t think it was fear or guilt that led him to kill himself…..I think it was his way of denying the State and the victims of this crime their day of justice. Kinda selfish don’t you think?
Execution is not a rehabilitation. It is a punishment.
If I murder someone I should then be executed within 1 year. If you can’t do the crime, don’t do the time.
Please, please, please tell me that the awesome state of TX is going to fry his accomplice as well
If it was your brother or husband that was murdered you would feel differently.
Don’t you just love these people who come up with that old argument “when are we going to stop killing people to prove that killing is wrong”.
Right – so lets lock somebody away for the rest of their life – against their will – to prove that abducting somebody, holding them against their will and perhaps killing them is wrong.
Hey, how about fining somebody – in other words taking money away from them – to show society that taking money / stealing is wrong.
Interesting that there’s not WORD 1 from these incredibly compassionate people, who wanted this low-life POS to live, about his victim, who was shot in the face by this punk and left to die.
I guess theie compassions limited to killers and rapists.
An eye for an eye… that’s what it says.
I don’t understand people say that this guy deserves a 2nd chance. Where’s Wetterman’s 2nd chance? Would you think he deserved a second chance if he killed your husband, your wife, your child? I doubt it. If you’re guilty, you’re guilty and I believe you deserve to die the same way your victim(s) did. He took the life of or at the very least was involved in taking the life of another human being. He showed no remorse, never apologized to the families and committed the cowardly act of taking his own life. God will judge him and God’s verdict gets no appeal. He was scheduled to get what he deserved, what he brought upon himself. I’d be willing to bet that our crime rate would plummet if public execution was reinstated. Personally I think lethal injection is the easy way out. Hanging, electrocution, firing squad, even drawn and quarters for that matter… If criminals knew they were to suffer a painful agonizing death for their crimes they’d probably not commit it.
I honestly believe that if you kill someone on purpose, if you intend to and do take the life of another human being, you deserve to die; I don’t care who you are. If my father, brother, mother, sister or other person I love, even myself, purposely killed someone I believe that they/I deserve to die as well. No, I certainly won’t like it and I’m sure I’d do what I could to save them/myself but I certainly understand and truly believe that they/I deserve it. That may make me a cold heartless person but justice must be served regardless of whom you are. You can’t take another life and expect to be clothed, fed three nutritious meals a day and housed for the rest of your life, for 60 years or so in this guys case. Do you really think this guy deserves to sit around and watch cable TV, work out, garden or do any other activity for that matter? Sounds like a deal to me. I work for a living and I don’t even have cable. So I can just go out and kill someone and expect to live a long life in relative comfort?
It would be different if it was an accident but it wasn’t. They went to that gas station in a stolen car with the explicit intent to steal gas however they needed to. If nothing else that borders on premeditation.
He should have been on closer watch. They have suicide watch exactly for this reason. I just feel sorry for the victim’s family in all of this. The execution should have provided closure over an 11-year struggle of dealing with this on a daily basis. Instead they get cheated. The only glimmer in all of this is that now the family can wake up every morning and know that the man that murdered their loved one is now longer breathing the air of this earth. That they’ll no longer have to deal with the appeals, stays of execution or other actions he may have tried to avoid paying the price for killing. He’s gone.
Now before anyone starts jumping on what I’ve said just understand… These are my personal opinions and I’m entitled to them as it’s my God given right to have them. You may agree, disagree or think I’m completely insane. Personally, I don’t care, that’s your right and you are entitled to it as well. But when someone takes that right away by viciously taking life then they deserve to be equally punished.
Alpha Mike Foxtrot
I really believe the death penalty is a waste of time let him rott in there die a slow miserable dead, maybe do some good help some one and if he doesn’t he’s still going to hell, and please i don’t want to hear about he doesn’t deserve tv working in a garden work out..
how the heck do you know if that’s a good deal or not, have you ever been to prison ? it’s not fun trust me, there’s nothing good about prison you sit in a cage like an animal you know you’re never going to get out, one of the worst mental tortures you can imagine..
Killing them is the cheap way out, once they’re dead that’s it it’s over..
people who believe in the death penalty are people who are full of hate and are ignorant to the american cowboy fantasies.
My dad was murdered shot in the heart from the back by a friend, do i think this guy should die ? no way i like the fact that i’m out here free enjoying my life having a good time and all the freedom he enjoyed he’ll never see again, now that’s a great feeling..
so i guess we should keep making this country an eye for an eye because it doesn’t change a damn thing..
have fun with that….
I don’t understand why some people think it’s such a good thing to try and save these murderers from a fate they truly deserve. Now, the death penalty may not be a deterent to violent crime, but neither is a show of compassion and mercy in the form of a life sentence. Not with people like these. Truth is, tht with a life sentence they may walk the streets again, be it parole, or possibly escape. The victim never will, and neither should they.
Just my 2 cents..
Yes, as a matter of fact, I’ve done my time and now I’m out. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a lifestyle I would choose but given death as the alternative, then, yes, I would prefer to spend the next 30 years in prison where, with overpopulation the way it is, I might end up getting out anyway with good behavior. Now, I’ve never killed anyone either… mine was just a case of a major attack of stupidity… and like everybody else that’s been in trouble, been caught anyway, I tried to duck out and lay it on someone else. Self preservation is simply just human nature. In the end it didn’t matter. I did it, I got caught and I got punished. Did I deserve it? You bet I did. I’m just saying given only two choices, go back to prison for life or die by lethal injection at midnight, I’d go back to prison. I’m not saying it’s a good life but it is still a life and it’s unfortunate but life on the inside is better than some people have it on the outside.
I just don’t want to have to pay for these guys food, clothing and lodging for 30 – 40 or 50 years, seeing as this guy was 18 when he went in. I’d rather go ahead and get cable for my house!
I’m not tying to pick a fight here, just voicing the way I see it as is everyone else here.
I would simply like to say that… I see some of you saying he should have done it a long time agon, and some saying he took the “cowards” way out, but I hear none of you saying that there were two people in that car that night. Only two who know what went down.. Now, because one of them “talked first”, he is already free.. My contension is that Duncan is getting plea bargain.. Except we all know he IS GUILTY, and there’s a little girl who will grow up knowing the man who killed her family and inflicted horrendous attrocities on her, will live his days on your dime.. Where is your comments and outrage over that???.. Yet, here you have two teenagers who never did get a definitive on the story.. Until they threw a lighter sentence at one of them… Now tell me is THAT justice??? All I am saying is that if neither of them got the story correct why aren’t both of them scheduled for execution?? You gave the definition of participation earlier… Then why are we not holding David Vest’s feet to the fire???? Fair is fair, and thats what we’re all about, right??
Now I am a HUGE supporter of the death penalty.. With proper evidence.. Without that evidence we are just speculating…. Especially when you have a couple of teeneagers who would turn in their own mothers if it suited them and their situation. Why don’t you all get the whole story before writing your speculative comments???
Johnson talked first — he bragged all over the place that he shot the victim. Then he came up with that phony alibi which was only more evidence of guilt.
Absolutely it was justice. Vest did not shoot the guy in the face — Johnson did. And don’t give me that b.s. that Vest confessed. Read the 5th District coa opinion and you will see what happened.
Yeah, the antis need to ditch their lame argument that prison is so much worse than the death penalty. If that were true, the murderers wouldn’t be fighting so hard to save their sorry asses.
It wasn’t a confession. Vest merely signed what was put in front of him and told to sign. Someone prepared the plea by lifting the language straight from the orginal pleading. Each time it was to be read in court, it was waived. In other words, it was a procedural fuck up — not a confession.
Same to you, tiffy baby.
Duncan pled as to three victims and was sentenced to lwop. The feds are prosecuting him for the kidnaping of Shasta and the kidnaping and murder of her brother, Dylan. They are seeking the death penalty. It’s the surest and fastest way to send Duncan to hell.
cough . . . bullshit.
Bad place to begin, Jack. Under Texas law, the governor can not issue a pardon unless the case is referred to him by the board of pardons.
Hum, 8 years for blaming your friend. The only witness looks out the window after hearing the shot and sees Vest standing next to Wetterman who appears to be sitting on the ground. Lois (the witness)did not see anyone else, let alone Johnson who would have had to run around to the front of the car; only Vest standing next to the vistim. Now if Johnson had time to get out of her line of vision and make it “back” into the vehicle, how does Vest have no time to get into the car with the door right next to him?
If they are both guilty of a crime where someone was killed, then they should both be getting the same sentence, unless an abundance of evidence clearly shows one over the other is solely guilty.
There is no right or wrong answer and no amount of name calling or rude opinions are going to get us any closer to the truth or what could have been done. However, I have to say I am sorry that this crime took place and that the case transpired as it did.
Only Vest knows what he did and he will never say anything differnt then his testemony for risk of losing his freedom.
Execute Justice, not People!
Americans and especially Texans should be ashamed of what is going on in this country which now sides with nations such as China, Iran and Saudi Arabia in the field of Human Rights. This is an undignity that doesn’t fit the United States.
The death penalty in the U.S. has got nothing to do with Justice — it’s all about revenge and, because of the media focus, with public revenge.
As Gandhi rightly said: ‘An eye for an eye will make the world go blind’.
I’ve always been an admirer and a friend of the U.S. (a tough job for a Frenchman, believe me!) but I’m just appalled at the way things are going in this country! How can you go on keeping human beings locked up for years in jails in such appalling conditions before… putting them to death like rabid animals? How about all these people exonarated after spending up to 20 years on death row?
We recently celebrated in France the 20th anniversary of the abolition of the death penalty in this country. This is the path you Americans should follow if your want to fully adhere to the camp of civilized nations.
I’ll theorize, too: Maybe, he was stunned by the fact his friend just shot a man in the face. Maybe, the clerks focus was on her friend lying dead on the ground and for her own safety. Bottom line, is that in later interviews, Johnson admitted to being there but denied being the shooter. This was contradicted by his consciousness of guilt by his phoney alibi he presented and the fact he bragged to three people that he shot the victim.
There is definitely a right answer: Johnson shot and killed a man in cold blood. What is wrong is substituting your uninformed judgment for that of the jury who heard the evidence and observed the witnesses when they testified, the justices of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals who heard the appeal and the state h.c., the federal district court who heard h.c. petitions – twice, the appeals on those h.c. petitions by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeal, and the USSC justices that denied his three petitions.
Once again you show your ignorance. Double Jeopardy, collateral estoppel, and statute of limitations — look them up.
An eye for an eye will make us even. – me
How lame and primitive…
Coming from a surrender monkey, that’s a compliment. Thanks!
If you’re going to quote Groundskeeper Willie, at least get it right — it’s “cheese-eating surrender monkey“
Execution Method May Cause Agonizing Death
(New York, April 24, 2006) – Incompetence, negligence, and irresponsibility by U.S. states put condemned prisoners at needless risk of excruciating pain during lethal injection executions, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. Lethal injections are used in 37 of the 38 death penalty states in the United States and by the federal government. Every execution in 2005 was by lethal injection.
{The bulk of this post has been deleted by Robbie — if you want to leave a 1000 word missive against the death penalty that you simply cut and pasted from elsewhere, please introduce it here and leave a link. I’m not going to host your screed.}—–
I’ll leave it at that. The United States of America is a great nation. Americans are a great people. They deserve better than that.
You do not cut and paste entire articles. Besides screwing up the blog on which you are merely a guest, you are violating copyright laws.
No one is buying that phony argument that LI causes excruciating pain. Thousands of people have the same anesthesia for surgery every day and don’t feel a thing. And besides the fact that tens of thousands of people have IV catheters inserted every day without complaint, to equate the insertion of an IV catheter to cruelty compared with the true excruciating pain these assholes put their victims through is obscene. You are obscene.
“The only devils in this world are those running around in our own hearts, and that is where all our battles should be fought.” — Mahatma Gandhi (1869 – 1948)
Today, Gandhi would be a registered sex offender.
How gross, uneducated and vulgar!
It’s ever so easy to contribute and insult… anonymously!
Someone once said that America had never been really discovered but merely detected. I guess he had you in mind.
I’m a person, not a country, you cheese eating surrender monkey. You are the one who is uneducated. I suggest you read an accurate bio on Gandhi. The gross and vulgar people are you and Gandhi.
“To succeed in the world it is not enough to be stupid, you must also be well-mannered.” — Voltaire (Look him up in Wikipedia). It may teach you a thing or two, Mr. Educated!
Thanks for the non sequitur. There’s nothing educated or well-mannered in tolerating the sexual abuse of children no matter who the abuser is. — me.
My stance on the death penalty and the medieval conditions in which it is applied in the United Sates deserves better than the ignorance, the selfrighteousness, the coarseness, the sheer stupidy that you’ve demonstrated since we started this unfortunate pseudo dialogue.
Your are a waste of time.
It’s not the economy, it’s the humanity, stupid!
Signing off
You know nothing of our laws. You know nothing of our society. You know nothing about Gandhi. lol! Yet, you come here in a lame attempt to lecture us, you narcisstic boob.
With any luck two men who brutally murdered 11 innocent men, women, and a child will be executed today. I’m sure you’ll have a good cry over it.
As I said, it’s the humanity, stupid!
You’re not humane — but, you are stupid!
I know you will really get a kick out of this double execution.
You will get a hardon, won’t you?
Why don’t you pack up and move to Iran? They hang people — including teenagers — in public there. You can esaily get a good view of the whole process and you will miss nothing of the last moments of the condemned. Double your fun, double your pleasure!
You are a disgrace to civilization.
Any last word?
Yes. Thank you for confirming once again that you are a vulgar and gross fwench weenie.
You are the expert in vulgarity.
Bye
Hey Frenchy — how are those riots working out for in France?
Mabye if your country had a single clue how to deal with criminals (rather than just surrender and kotow to their threats and demands) this wouldn’t be such a problem. Or maybe if your country wasn’t being run by a bunch of dhimmis. That would help too.
Wow, nuthin’ funnier than an American and a French argueing, bwhahaha!!
I”m a French and American mix, w/grandfather fighting in WWII for Canada in Normandy. Now they do have good food and wine in France I”ll give ‘em that, and Americans are a welcoming people when we visit them.
Bye bye Rolling and Lundgren, see ya where the sun doesn’t shine.
And I hope Duncan fries too.(well, Idaho doesn’t have the chair. Shooting him-which they can do in ID is too much a glorious way to die for him. Gas him then!)
I think the dp is fine, for brutal killers like the aforementionned.
Hello…
We would like to introduce you to Life on the Row. A discussion forum dedicated to all aspects of Capital Punishment, from executions to exonerations you will find it here. We also offer topic areas for the discussion of serial killers, crime in general, and just plain fun topics.
We are totally open to all sides of the debate on these issues, and would be honored to serve you feel free to register and check it out, it is only new but we are more than open to suggestions.
To join in the discussion please go to http://lifeontherow.proboards83.com/index.cgi
Hope to see you soon.
Forum Administration
Oh, great! Another day, another forum created on the death penalty. What is with this fixation by the same group of people to put up forum after forum on the death penalty? I mean, really, how many forums does this make in the past two years? Three? Four? Five? More?
I’d be for life in prison if it really was for Life. No parole. Ever. As a cousin of Jeff’s, I’m glad the guy is dead either way.
Ed Wetterman
Well, Ed, the people who are against capital punishment are actively advocating against lwop, too.
Jeff wetterman was my husband. I was widowed @ 22 years old because of Michael Johnson. He should have saved us the worry of 11 years and took his own life along time ago.
Trish: I’m very sorry for what happened to Jeff, you, and your families and friends. I’m glad Johnson is gone and will never again hurt anyone.
I offer my sincere condolences to the Wetterman family and those who knew Jeff Wetterman.
It is a shame that the base levels that so many authors have reduced themselves to with regards to this article, represent no grounds for constructive movement toward justice. Those who would support the death penalty have used such ridiculous language, offering an interesting if not predictable reflection on their mental capacity. The evident lack of understanding betrayed by this weak and often insulting vocabulary reduces the value of the debate to that of an insignificant ‘baby brawl’.
How a fledgling nation such as the US can compare its own justice system with that of a socially aware and responsible country such as France (which has been developing laws for many hundreds if not thousands of years) I do not know. Of course, in many respect I would whole heatedly agree with US law. It is remarkable that with regards to the death penalty, the US shares ground with those nations and belief systems that it seeks to overpower.
If people find themselves in such support of the death penalty, wouldn’t it be better if they tried to convince the rest of us, in a manner that does not result to playground type insults? You do yourselves, nor the greater argument any favours.
Regarding Ghandi; the man almost single handed, gained freedom for a nation and so many millions of people. Whilst he was not perfect in some respects, those books which would seek to defame him should not be adhered to when you consider the unbelievable amount of good he achieved.
Anyone for a weenie?
I’ve heard it called WW1, I’ve heard it called ‘The Great War’, I’ve heard it called ‘The War to end all Wars’; I have never heard it called the “euroweenie blood bath”.
The Nation of France did not aid and abet the Nazis (“Germans” is not entirely fair). People do desperate things when guns are held to their heads.
Cheese? What does cheese have to do with anything?
You’re just like the French! Believe it or not, you are just like a lot of people all around the world. This may be a root cause of your bizzarre conclusions; the idea that you are actually better than anyone else. If this is the case, please consider this affliction a delusion, rather than arrogance.
I cannot believe that I have lowered myself to discussing cheap insults.
Out of respect for Jeff Wetterman and his family, I am signing off.
The level of education is just dumbfounding; I am in shock.
My respect for the Wetterman family certainly goes beyond issuing profanities in a blog that remembers Jeff Wetterman.
The unfortunate fact remains that Mr. Johnson (akaP.O.S.) paid the ultimate price for a crime he seemingly did not commit. I’m sure the family wants justice, as would I, but the truth is the person who in writing confessed to the crime has been free for several years, after inplicating Mr. Johnson in a plea agreement. Do you really believe justice was served. 7 years for the killer and death to the accomplice. If Mr. Johnson indeed was the accomplice, I respect him for not letting the State of Texas take his life.
You’re misrepresenting the facts and legal issues. Johnson was found guilty byrd. None of the appellate courts that reviewed the trial and various habeas corpus writs found differently.
It is interesting to me that complete strangers can have such stong feelings about a situation that shouldnt concern them at all. Some of you argue with such conviction about Johnsons innocence. You people are zoning in on one small customary action. Had you been involved since September 10th 1995 and attended every hearing and court date it might be a little easier to stomach your idiotic understanding of this unimportant procedure.
Thanks for your input, Mrs. Wetterman. These people don’t know the facts, don’t know our laws, and have no knowledge of criminal procedure. Yet, they all believe they are experts.
Trish, justice concerns all of us. Laws are there to protect us all, especially when falsely accused. Many of us will be campaigning for justice all over the world, not only in instances of murder but in all kinds of human rights abuses. It is important to prevent known criminals from causing harm, but it is equally important to prevent our justice systems from ruining the lives of innocent people. The number of innocent people who have died through capital punishment is unforgivable. The pain that these families suffer is equal to your own; save that they have had to endure upwards of 15 years on Death Row before being killed. Endorsing the Death Penalty is to accept the all too frequent killing of innocents.
Anonymous: Your laws were largely based on ours… your constitution was drawn up by us, your forefathers were of our land. Tom Paine, that rightfully proud figure in American history and orchestrator of your rights, was utterly opposed to the Death Penalty. We know far more than you would give us credit for.
The number of innocent people who have died through capital punishment is unforgivable.
You and other anti-death penalty advocates keep repeating this as though it were the truth or fact. When in fact, it is neither.
Since the death penalty was re-instituded in the US in 1972, there is not a single case of a person being executed who was later found to be not guilty by a court of law. Not. A. Single. One.
Unless of course you can point me to a specific case where a court later ruled that the executed person was found not guilty, and the deceased person’s record was expunged?
Tick, tock, tick, tock.
Yeah, I’ll keep waiting for the names of all those “innocent” men who were put to death in the US since 1972.
You know Jimmal, just because a man goes to his death bed proclaiming his innocense, and just because his friends, family, and deathrow inmate groupies believe him…it does not make him innocent.
Our constitution was not drawn up by “you,†who ever “you†are. We are the antithesis of “you†and quite proud of it. And the framers of our constitution made it quite clear as has our Supreme Court that the death penalty is constitutional. And your knowledge of criminal law and criminal procedure is less than zero. Again, all you did is exhibit how little you know of our laws. Give it up. You fool no one.
Criminal law does not always result in justice… blindly following a flawed system cannot be morally justified. Blithely insisting that the social codes of your state are within the current of modern day thinking, is insulting and damaging to the rest of the world. Why be the antithesis of peace, why constantly push for pain?
It was essentially perfectly legal to shoot an Australian aborigine less than 50 years ago, black people weren’t allowed on white busses in your country, Iranian women are stoned to death, Americans are lethally injected, it’s all legal – it’s all perfectly legal but it’s about time you asked yourself if it’s right. When you come to your conclusion, you’’ll either be seething with rage (as you seem to be now) or you’ll be quite content that you are actually doing the right thing. Death stops now my hippy friend.
Shalom Jeff Wetterman
Thank you, euroweenie, for once again demonstrating you know nothing of our laws.
Anon, it seems the ‘Law’ is your white stick, and it’s leading you astray.
What kind of noise do American Sheep make? Hold on, wait for it, it sounds like something strangely Anonymous…
this guy makes my name look bad.
I think the problem with American justice is with the individual aspect. A conviction makes a prosecutor look good, and it matters not if the defence were incompetant, or “legally” left in the dark. If years later new evidence were to arise it seldomly is followed up because this is an admission of error, which throws uncertainty on the prosecutors previous and future convictions. And certainly, if an execution had been involved, it would be buried at all levels as the sentence had been carried out. The reality is if it were proven an innocent man were dead by the state, capital punishment would be in jeopardy nationwide. They have absolutely nothing to gain by proving an innocent man had been executed, thus they probably never will. Just looking at the numbers on exonerated inmates leaves me no doubt that the odds are in favour of a wrongful death. I have no real opinion on the death penalty, but I personally would hate to be railroaded by a self serving system as an innocent man. If he clearly was guilty, on the other hand, I would pull the trigger myself.
Something else to add….
Another problem with the justice system is in the sentencing. Under the law of parties there is no incentive for anyone to come forward. When I was 18 we siffoned gas from a farmer to get home from a road trip. If that farmer had come out with a gun and someone with me had stabbed the man (we all knew idiots when we were kids) I would, in theory, be guilty of capital punishment. Thank God this did not happen… but it has before. 5 years after stealing gas from that farmer I graduated university and got married. Had something bad happened that day I would be getting screwed in prison instead of playing with my kids. The punishment should fit the crime. The triggerman is guilty and the accomplice may well have been in the wrong place… but does not deserve life in prison or worse. Kids will be kids… By these standards Huck Finn would be on meds and likely serving a lengthy sentence instead of being viewed as a curious American boy.
I would, in theory, be guilty of capital punishment.
Uh, no. The felony-murder rule (law of parties) requires the homicide occur during the perpetration of a felony inherently dangerous to human life (e.g., robbery, arson, burglary, etc).
Chris- Jeff had no gun! This was NOT a kids will be kids situation. Johnson came to a place of business with the intention of stealing and murdering.Dont make light of this crime or Jeffs life
Plus, Johnson was the triggerman.
Thank’s for the judicial lesson KMA. I am not sure what would constitute “inherently dangerous…” Are you sure breaking into a farmers garage (Private property) to steal gas (Robbery) with someone who has a gun in there possession (Dangerous) would not amount to felony murder. Ah, and I assume by your conviction of guilt, that you were there that day those idiots killed that poor boy… how come you didn’t testify. To Ms. Wetterman… I am not trying to make light of anything. It is a serious matter. I would want vengence also, but to have any proper understanding of an issue it must be debated. At least to avoid ignorance it should be.
Chris I perfer the word JUSTICE not Vengence. It is only since Johnson died that I can Think of Jeff without worrying about Johnson, and that is a good feeling.
Dear Trish. May this be the last time you are victimized in your life. I hope someday all you think of are pleasant thoughts. Buen suerte.
Robbery is inherently dangerous. Residential burglary is inherently dangerous. However, trespass, auto tampering, and siphoning gas, which is the scenario YOU gave, are not inherently dangerous.
Ah, and I assume by your conviction of guilt, that you were there that day those idiots killed that poor boy… how come you didn’t testify.
The jury was not there. However, after hearing evidence tested by cross-examination, argument by both sides, and applying the law to the facts, they were able to determine guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The appellate justices, who were also not there, reviewed the transcripts, and determined there were no legal errors and sufficient evidence of guilt. I, who also was not there, can review the state and federal courts opinions, and determine that there was sufficient evidence of guilt and no legal error. It’s simply a matter of applying the law to the facts and using common sense. Try it some time.
KMA. Your so blind I can’t even reply…. [Editor's Note: the rest of the this comment has been deleted as it was little more than a thinly veiled physical threat. The next instance will result in this user's IP address being blacklisted.]
Chris, Thank You!
dear trish – my condolences to you and your family.
i find reading these comments so interesting and that seamingly intelligent people on both sides of this arguement will reduce themselves to name calling and insults to prove their respective points. i live somewhere where there is no death penalty. i wish there was a death penalty here. i think an important component that some people are missing is that by not facing the death penalty in cases like this, is that it allows the criminals to re-victimize the survivors of their crimes. i think michael johnson proved that. by not acknowledging his role in his crime and lashing out at the wetterman family in court he is able to do just that. re-victimize. trish and the wetterman family deserve to sleep at night knowing that this can’t happen anymore.
they deserve to know that while johnson refuses to accept responsibility, there are enough people with the knowledge to do so that will hold him accountable. they derserve a sense of peace and closure and no one can say otherwise unless they have walked in their shoes. as for david vest’s role in this, his so-called-confession has been explained and investigated. it has caused the death sentence to be delayed but not stayed. i think that is an important point.
but i think the most important thing is that david has acknowlegded his role, has done his time and has attempted to reach out to trish to offer his apologies and remorse for what happened. michael johnson’s suicide in the hours leading up to his execution just goes to prove what a coward he is and that he has no sympathy whatsoever for the wetterman family. the point being that even if he believed in his heart that he didn’t pull the trigger, he was involved and a man died and people have been affected for the rest of their lives.
he has shown nothing but contempt and despite solid evidence that he was there, has even lied about that, never mind that he bragged to multliple people that he had done it. trish – i know that you said on the a&e program that you felt cheated by his suicide, i just hope that you can find solace in the fact that for every 1 person that believes that his sentence was unjust that there are hundreds who believe the opposite.
Unless you have experienced the loss of someone you’ve loved you have no right to an opinion.
It is about Justice. Period.
Now shut up.
Oh, and by the way… Fry Mumia!
Sorry for my last comment, it doesn’t belong here. Feel free to edit it out.
This is a place for Trish and Jeff. I have a spot for my brother, a police officer, murdered in cold blood by three young men for arresting them two days earlier for shoplifting. That is why I made the last comment, the three murderers have taken to the pen and have become ardent writers. One is on Death Row and the others got life.
I am appalled at those who defend unrepentant murderers. It would make far more sense if they were at least penitent. I don’t know how anyone can know of Johnson shouting obscenities at Wetterman’s family and insist that he is innocent. True, that’s not a crime, but a defendent’s behavior is telling. If he was innocent, he should have expressed heartfelt condolence to Wetterman’s family and friends. Word of the wise: If you’re an innocent person, behave like an innocent person!!!! It never ceases to amaze me how people can so misread people who are bad at pretending to be innocent. Was Johnson even trying to present himself as innocent? He did a bad job. I have no sympathy for people who cannot demonstrate empathy to save their own skins. Just, I don’t know, but he is not a big loss to this world. His death was anticlimactic. He was already dead. For him to choose to be dead in character, conscience, empathy, etc. is the real tragedy. He chose not to be the good person he could have become. His physical death, not really. I have not managed to feel sad about it, much less morally outraged about what should have been his execution.
Johnson was tried and convicted. As for Vest’s confession, the state did not differentiate between the triggerman and the accomplice. The work was sloppy. Furthermore, Vest is a more believable person. He expressed remorse which was likely genuine. Johnson bragged to so many people. Face it, the case against him is stronger than the case for him.
Chris, it is wrong for you to imply that criminality in teenagers is normal. Most teenagers are not criminals. Many of them would be appalled at your reasoning. I was one not that long ago. Doing something stupid is one thing. Needlessly and knowingly putting others in danger is another. If your misdemeanor had resulted in the farmer dying by your hand directly or your accomplices, I hope you would take full responsibility and be dripping with remorse. Actions have consequences. I have little sympathy for those who do something they know to be seriously wrong and it backfires. Anyone should know that breaking into someone’s space and attempting to steal from them is inherently dangerous. Perpetrators deserve the blame not citizens who want to protect society and want to meet out due punishment. Dangerous people need to be put away, for life if necessary. Chris, for you to deny that is blindsighted.
I am outraged at those of you who are putting this great country is the same company as various barbaric societies. This country is flawed, but it is mostly civilized. This country gets condemned either for imaginary injustices or what so many other countries do times 50. Unbelievable. Always directing your complaints at civilized countries and people. You should sympathize with crime victims, not people who take lives needlessly either in cold-blood or disregard. They put themselves where they are one way or another. To those who believe in God, God is merciful but He is also just. He does not take the murder of his children lightly. There is capital punishment in the Bible. Forgiveness does not mean to absolve or remove punishment. Forgiveness is for the benefit of the forgiver. Johnson is dead and God will judge him. God is not against us keeping order and punishing. That is how we have civilization. Without it, we have chaos and anarchy.
Furthermore, without the death penalty, what is there to bargain with. Confessions, testimonies, evidence, etc. have been obtained because defendents wanted to avoid the death penalty. I have issues with those of you Europeans who self-righteously say that they are so compassionate because they have no death penalty, acting as if everything is rosy there because of it. To WHOM are you being compassionate?
To those who knew Wetterman, my heartfelt condolence. You will see Johnson one day. He will be stripped of his pride. Maybe even feel remorse. He is on the other side. I cannot determine his eternal destiny, but I can tell you that he’s not happy.
I feel sadness when I think about Johnson’s family. They believe the best about him because that is what they want to believe. They love him and they should, but I hope they one day get out of the denial they are in. I’d love to hear what they have to say about him cursing at Wetterman’s family. What do any of Johnson’s defenders have to say about it?
I just finished watching the A&E program on the execution of Michael Johnson. I felt very sorry for the victim’s sister who felt she was robbed of seeing Johnson die. I felt sorry not because she was robbed of the opportunity but because the lust for revenge had taken hold of her heart. I wish she had seen him die because she would have realized that nothing changes. She won’t feel better. In fact, she would probably feel worse and likely spiritually hollow. The hate that fuels the lust for revenge (which is not justice by the way) is akin to the desperation likely felt by whoever killed her brother.
I don’t know if the woman was a Christian or not but regardless it perplexes me how those who describe themselves as such, don’t respond to Christ’s challenges including those of forgiveness and acceptance. Christ never said ‘an eye for an eye’. His was a different message…
Don’t misunderstand me. It was wrong that the murder of her loved one put her in that moral bind but regardless revenge is not the way forward for survivors.
Respectfully…
Bob Klanac
I don’t know if you are Christian, but since you seem to see yourself as morally anointed and more compassionate than most, you should allow the unseen Deity to judge her instead of you, especially when you are nearly putting her in the same category as a cold-blooded remorseless killer. If you are so compassionate you should think about how she must have felt being cursed at by him on top of the murder. That is emotionally scarring. You don’t know her or how she has been living. Who wouldn’t have a cloud hanging over? It is easy for you to imply that she should just get over it. Where is your moral outrage toward the murder? Are you not bothered by his behavior?
She is glad to know that he cannot hurt anyone anymore. It has helped her. Who knows? He may have managed to get out on something bogus.
The physical death of Michael Johnson is not so tragic. His person was already dead. He is where he can hurt no one. As a Christian, I will not say that he is burning in hell as many would say, but I can say that he is learning things on the other side. I hope for the best. God will judge him.
The death penalty has a good function. People have come clean to avoid it. Without the death penalty, what is there to bargain with. Do we want such people roaming the streets?
Punishment is part of keeping an orderly and humane society.
You do not understand the principle of forgiveness. Forgiveness does not mean to remove punishment. It certainly does not mean to trivialize an offense of great magnitude. There was little we could do for Michael. He would not even take responsibility. We can have Christian love toward Michael, but he still needed to be sufficiently punished for what he did? There are crimes which scream for the death penalty.
i hate that his friend did nothing….. what a ass hole he is. where ever mick is now i hope that his Oright then where he was…: |
Just saw this documentary about Micheal Johnson. It is impossible to say he was executed by the state. He took his own life. He did the right thing. The death penalty, however, is illogical. Homocide rates are not mitigated with the death penalty. Let a life in prison be the tool to punish criminals. If they should take their life, so be it.
[Editor --- Except that "life in prison" doesn't mean that he 1) won't ever escape and kill somebody else, 2) kill another prisoner, 3) kill a guard or other prison employee, or 4) get lucky and have some newly elected Liberal governor pardon him only to have him released to kill somebody else.
Again, it's not just about deterrence, it's about justice. Nothing "illogical" about that.]
According to roughly a dozen recent studies, executions save lives. For each inmate put to death, the studies say, 3 to 18 murders are prevented.
NYT 11/18/2007
I was at that trial every day. Michael Johnson absolutely deserved to die–I just wished they would have killed him a lot sooner, so my money didnt have to be spent on his care in prison. His family at trial every day was a hateful bunch. When Michael was convicted, he walked over to the family of the victim and spouted ” F*** you, you MotherF***ers, you can all suck d*** and die.” Everyone in the courtroom was sicked and shocked by that comment and he stared right at the widow as he said it. Even his defense team felt at that moment, “let him fry” because it was so awful….He did it. Many people testified that Michael told them proudly that he “popped a cap in his a**”. Dont feel sorry for that man.
I saw the Michael Johnson Story on t.v. tonight.How sad for the victims family it was.Also for Johnsons mother.People have to realize the extent of pain it causes to all the relatives on both sides.For the mother of the son that got killed, relatives of his, relatives of Johnsons, they all get hurt.It seemed to me, that Johnsons actions towards the end of his life, was a cop out of sorts,possibly to defeat the justice system.Altough, more of a painful death in my opinion.Prison is not a place with particularly nutritious meals.It is not a place like sitting in your living room next to a cozy fire, watching t.v.I’am no judge ,but I do know if someone takes another persons life away for no real reason and boasts about it, should he not pay for it?I too, was a victim of a crime.It was not as severe as the Michael Johnson case by no means,but I decided to forgive the persons that had done this to me ,yet I do not want contact with them neither.It was a willful deliberate act..on their part.I just know that alot of people get hurt by such senseless acts.Also, to shoot someone directly in the face?I do not feel sympathy for Johnson.His arrogance and unrepentful attitude says it all.End of story.
Left by Deserving on January 30th, 2009 at 10:42 am
Somehow I doubt what you observed was included in the Michael Johnson Story. Sounds like your typical death penalty defendant and family.
..sorry johnson, once there has been a witness statement signed by an accomplice, i don’t think it’s fair for the judge to sentence him, Vest shld in e first place be punish by law for writing a false statement and his recant not taken seriously as he has lied in his first statement..
oh men wat kinda of a lawyer did Johnson use…
You misstate what occurred in court.
One, his partner in crime didn’t recant.
Two, accomplice evidence has to be corroborated by independent evidence before it is admissible.
Three, the jury always has the power to reject accomplice testimony.
Michael got what he deserved. An eye for an eye. If you kill somone, you then, should be killed also. Why waste taxpayer’s money to house someone and let them live, when they took the life of someone else?! It’s absurd! He knew he didn’t have the money to pay for the gas, he knew he had a gun, and he knew he was going to do whatever it took to get away with stolen gas. It came down to shooting a man in the face. Michael should have been shot in the face and left for dead. I am completely for the death penalty, I just think they need to speed up the process and not let them stew in it. I’m sorry for the Wetterman’s loss.
awww trish!!!
i’m so glad i got to meet you! infact, you and i are talking on the phone together right now…i’m glad you’re doing better with all of this.
Good riddance to this punk. He was unrepentant upon conviction. I just now saw the videotape of his behavior in the courtroom after being convicted. A little boy who was never taught right from wrong. He was a coward, that’s why he committed suicide. He didn’t have the backbone to face reality. Like I said in the beginning, good riddance. He should not be glorified on television. Let him fade away, the little shit.
Murder is murder. As humans, what gives us the right to decide who can take a life? The executioner and all those who call for ‘revenge’ are no better. These people should be punished, but taking a life isn’t the right way to do it.
Here we go again.
ALL MURDERS ARE KILLINGS, BUT NOT ALL KILLINGS ARE MURDERS.
Yes it is.
It is the proper form of justice and the only method that is guaranteed to prevent the murderer from acting again.
Canned response #115!
I bet they showed that documentary on television, again. That always gets the groupies excited.
I won’t take that bet.
Schlockumentaries always inflame the passions of the weak minded.
Throughout time there have always been miscarriages of justice. There always will be. Not saying that this is the case here, but throughout time innocent people will be jailed and in your country, killed. That is murder, not killing.
The murder rate in the USA is far greater than in the UK, who abolished the death penalty. What does that tell you? Is it a detterent?
People who commit murder should have to wake every day and be punished for what they have done. Why should they be snuffed out and be allowed to ‘escape’? Afterall, that is exactly what this bloke did. Escape. I find it quite disturbing that another human being feels robbed that they were unable to watch another human being murdered.
Oh, bullshit. Of course, you are implying this jerk was innocent. Got news for you: innocent people are jailed in your country.
What does that tell me? That the US is not the UK. Is is a deterrent? Yes. And don’t give us this nonsense that prison is worse than execution. If it was, more inmates would be waiving appeals instead of fighting their sentence. I find it quite disturbing that you yobs keep bloviating the same ridiculous and loser memes.
I’m not implying that he was innocent. He bragged about it to umpteen people. I think he was guilty. I’d just prefer to see appropriate punishments handed out which aren’t hypocritical. Savages screaming ‘Burn Him, Burn Him’. Have we not moved on from medieval times.
I never said they weren’t, but your arguement is that these innocent people should be hung, fried, pumped, shot. That’s not lawful killing, its a miscarriage of justice. Hope it never happens to any of your family.
The reason there is more murder in the USA is becasue it is more accepted – By Criminals and Judges who don’t mind throwing a switch.
Savages.
Oh God, not again.
What makes you any better than a savage?
The law is the law – if you kill, you die.
It’s not murder, it’s not revenge – it’s the law handed down, and the law will be obeyed, regardless of the circumstances.
Once the accused is convicted beyond a shadow of a doubt, then he/she will be executed.
It’s not savagery – it’s simply following the law of the land, and preventing another murderer from walking out and doing it again.
“I’m not implying that he was innocent.”
Sure you are.
“I’d just prefer to see appropriate punishments handed out which aren’t hypocritical.”
You’re the hypocrite. Death is the appropriate punishment.
“Savages screaming ‘Burn Him, Burn Him’. ”
The only savage screaming burn him is YOU.
“I never said they weren’t…”
Then go free them instead of making a fool out of yourself here.
“…but your arguement is that these innocent people should be hung, fried, pumped, shot. That’s not lawful killing, its a miscarriage of justice”
No, that’s your argument, not mine.
“The reason there is more murder in the USA is becasue it is more accepted…”
Put down the crack pipe!
“Savages”
Narcisstic dumbazz.
If a person has no regard for life…his life should be given no regard.
Take an innocent life and live yours out in jail?
Have us pay for all your needs after so viciously causing the death of another? A ruthless cold blooded murder?
No Thanks…hey, I’ve got an idea..why don’t we ship them over to you? They can do their life sentence…oops, I mean 10 years until your highly intelligent government determines they are fit for society again and they can live among you!
That way we can still get rid of them and you euroweenies can continue to boast on how wonderful you are to criminals! I mean so many of you already write to them consistantly and send them money…so why not go further and take care of them as well! I’m sure cold blooded murders and death row inmates would be so grateful and metamorphosize into a completely different person..you know..like the one they portray in their letters to you…don’t you know? They are all innnocent! And love kittens and walks in the park…and WE are the savages to so heinously take their lives away!
How dare us…
There is nothing you can say to make me feel bad about exterminating filthy trash that hurts our innocent citizens. NOTHING. You call it savage? I call it saving the next life that comes across their path.
How perfectly said. I agree completely.
Thank you Tracy.
I enjoy reading your comments as well. They are well written and very intelligent.
What makes me better than a savage is that I don’t agree with the taking of another human life regardless of the fact that it is done within the law.
There are other ways of preventing a murderer from murdering again.
Some murders are clear cut, but some convictions have even been made on the basis of sworn confessions that turn out to be fabricated. It does happen! How can every crime ever commited be ruled as safe ‘beyond a shadow of a doubt’.
If a man steals from my family, should the state steal from his? No.
If a gang of yobs rape my wife, should the law hunt them down and rape them? No.
If a drink driver smashes into my mother walking down the street, should we sink a bottle of whisky and ram him off the road? No.
If a man kills another, should we kill him? It seems, Yes.
They don’t think like savages.
It’s logic – the mind-set that causes a person to kill without good cause is practically irreversible.
Read up on another incident in which an inmate sentenced for murder killed a fellow inmate, also charged and convicted for murder.
They are a danger to society, and even to themselves – trying to contain them is only undue waste of money and a danger to the corrections officers and inmates that surround them.
The false positive is so low, that when it does happen, it seems so hyped up.
Truth is, is that it really doesn’t happen so often as you wish it does.
If a man steals from a family, he should pay it back.
If a gang of ‘yobs’ gang-rape your wife… I wouldn’t be surprised if you went out with a 12-ga. and shoot them yourself.
If a man kills for negligence, I personally believe the minimum would be at least 20 years, followed by not touching alcohol again. That should be common sense – if you’re drunk, don’t drive – but some people need the encouragement, or at least need to know it the (tragic and unfortunate) hard way.
If a man kills another for no good cause, then yes, he should die. That way, his miserable killing mind-set will be forever silenced.
What ever gave you the idea that you are better than a savage? You value the rapist/pedophile/murderer’s life over that of the innocent life. That makes you a savage.
Everything you post is bullshit. There’s not enough time in the day to correct you. You e’weenies are so arrogant. Most of you have IQs below room temperature and think you can lecture us. Get real.
A murderer re-offending is much more likely than the state executing an innocent person which has not happened since we reinstated the death penalty.
More proof that those who oppose capital punishment are merely pro murder.
that boy is inocent
someone testifyed 10weeks before he died .the real killer confesed prosecuter hid that coNfesion so all you all who talk like you know what your talking about when ya all dont ya all can just STUFF A SOCK IN IT IM NOT SURE WHAT THE DATE WAS BUT HIS NAME WAS CLEARED AFTER HE DIED OF COURSE
HES INOCENT TEXAS IS A BUNCH OF MURDERERS I DID PLEANTY OF RESEARCH LISTEN TO SOC YOU ALL NEED 2 BE GAGGED WITH 30INCH KNEE HIGH STRIPED TUBE SOCKS THAT ARE SWEATY AND FILTHY LIKE GYM SOCKS .STUFF A PAIR OF TUBES IN IT.TRY TO KNOW WHAT YOUR TALKING ABOUT BEFORE SPEAKING.
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