A state prisoner once under a death penalty wants the state supreme court to let him out of prison. Inmate Reginald Griffin’s death sentence had been overturned, a new jury sentenced him to life in prison. Griffin now says the prosecution withheld evidence that could have proven his innocence, and claims that circumstance should invalidate his new sentence. The state says there is no proof that the state failed to disclose any information. The state supreme court will hear his case tomorrow (May 4).

The state supreme court says a condemned murderer should get a new sentencing hearing to determine whether he should be executed. The unanimous court decision upholds the conviction of Gregory Bowman for a 1977 murder. All seven judges also agree that the death sentence was given on the basis of in-valid sentencing factors. One judge, Michael Wolff, says he would not order a new sentencing hearing because the evidence is not strong enough to support a death sentence. Wolff says he would resentence Bowman to life without patrol. Briefs and audio of oral arguments »

Via Missourinet

The Missouri Supreme Court has turned down –for the fifthy time– an appeal by Ernest Lee Johnson, the Columbia man convicted of murdering three Casey’s General Store employees in 1994.

In December, Johnson’s defense argued that his previous counsel was ineffective because an unqualified expert witness was called to testify about Johnson’s alleged mental retardation.

His attorney, public defender Bill Swift, said he will file a motion for rehearing within the next 15 days.

Full story at ColumbiaTribune.com

The drug that’s given to inmates to put them out before they’re put to death has likely been used for the last time. Like Missouri, Texas uses sodium thiopental in executions. Timothy Wayne Adams died by lethal injection last night in Huntsville, Texas. He was executed for shooting his toddler point blank, for which he said he did to get back at his wife, who was leaving him. He says his intention was to shoot himself next. It’s likely the last time in the United States the drug will be used an any executions.

Full story at Missourinet.com

Martin Link died at the Bonne Terre prison at 12:15 a.m.

“The state says killing is wrong,” he said in his final statement. “So why do they do it? For revenge. Where is the closure? There is none. The death penalty is a act of revenge. Many men sit on death row. Some innocent and some not. So what happens when a man is executed and it’s later learned he was in fact innocent. He can’t be brought back.”

Before the execution, three reporters, the man who prosecuted Link for the crimes against Elissa Self-Braun in 1991, the detectives, sheriff and officer who handled the case, and three reporters waited to be taken to the execution chamber. Detective Mike Flaherty talks about how it all started:

“When the car was recovered, it was impounded by Kirkwood Police, for whatever reason, they removed a jar of vaseline from his car and put it in a ziploc bag. There was this 11-year-old girl, the implications were pretty obvious. We were looking at them right after the incident with the little girl. He had checked into a hotel at DeLoge, got his muffler fixed the next day. We were talking to his dad and he said they used to put in (on family float trips) right where we found her body.”

Detective Jim Roach says it’s common criminal behavior to do that — take the bodies to their comfort zone. “They’re scared and panicked, they rely on muscle memory and things and places that comfort them.”

The officers talk about Ted Bundy, and how he dumped his bodies where he used to camp as a boy near Seattle. He was charismatic, intelligent.

Is Link charismatic and intelligent, I ask. No, they say. Talk shifts to his physical discription, how he’s tall, thin, and has been referred to both as a dark skinned white man and a light-skinned black man.

Henry “Bud” Snyder was the Sheriff of Wayne County, where Self-Braun was found, for 16 years.

“She would have ended up in Wappapello if he’d put her in the channel,” he said. ”I think about it every time I cross the Black Bridge.” ”It wasn’t the biggest shake up, no, but it was one of the worst,” he says. “Tonight I got to see a photo of her. That’s the first time I saw what she looked like alive. It still bears in my mind, I told the prosecutor at the time, when this guy’s put to death, I’d like to be there. And aside from the family, I think tonight will provide some closure for me too.”

The victim’s family, the investigaors, and perhaps Link, waited 20 years for the execution. In the end, it lasted less than 15 minutes for his to die.

Just after midnight, it began — “We’re beginning Phase One. The offender is being administered pentophol, which renders him unconcious,” Corrections staff announces. At 12:18, we get the statement: Execution complete. Close outside curtain. W-2 closed.”

Statement from Pamela Braun, Elissa’s mother:

Elissa’s family and I would like to thank everyone who has loved us and supported us throughout the past 20 years as we have waited for the final piece of this tragedy to occur.

We want to thank all the law enforcement officers who worked on this case, specifically Detectives Miek Flaherty and Bill Roach who worked diligently to solve the case and gather the necessary evidence to convict him; the labs for all the work that they did in processing the evidence, particularly Harold Messler; the courts and attorneys who handled the legal aspects of prosecuting him; particulary Joe Warzycki adn Jeff Hillard.

We have been tryly blessed that the justice system has worked for Elissa, whereas there are still many homicide survivors and victims still waiting for justice.

I’m looking forward to being reunited with Elissa when this time on earth is through.

Story by Missourinet’s Jessica Machetta