Category Archives: Executions

State of Missouri v. Glennon Paul Sweet

796 SW 2d 607 (Mo Banc 1990)

Glennon Paul Sweet was executed on April 22, 1998

On February 8, 1987 at approximately 4:30 p.m. Trooper Russell Harper of the Missouri State Highway Patrol was stationed on Highway 60 near Springfield, Missouri operating a radar device. A red mid-sixties Chevrolet pickup truck passed Trooper Harper at an excessive rate of speed. Trooper Harper activated his red lights and pursued the truck about a mile and a half where the truck pulled off and stopped on a farm road.

Before Trooper Harper could get out of his car, Sweet Leapt from the truck, stepped toward the patrol car and fired several bursts of gunfire. One bullet struck Trooper Harper in the head causing death. Twenty-nine bullet holes or indentations were found in the patrol car.

Sweet drove to the home of Donald Bills where the two began the task of refurbishing the truck by replacing the tires, repainting and further modifying it to disguise the vehicle. Sweet also shaved his moustache to disguise himself.

On February 9, 1987 Highway Patrol Troopers arrived at the Bills residence on a tip that Sweet was staying in an old bus on Bills’ property. In a search of the area an H.K. 93 semiautomatic assault rifle, later determined to be the murder weapon was found in a junked vehicle about 1000 yards from the Bills’ residence. After obtaining a search warrant to further search the house, Troopers found Sweet hiding in the attic.

Witnesses to the slaying identified Sweet as the assailant and gun cartridges found at the scene of the crime were found to have been fired from Sweet’s rifle.

Legal Chronology

1974
02/26 — Glenn Sweet was found guilty of Possession of a Controlled Substance (Marijuana) Under 35 grams in Bolivar, Missouri. He was sentenced to one year in the Polk County Jail.
05/15 — Sweet was fined $50 and court costs for disturbing the peace in Springfield, Missouri.
06/19 — Sweet was fined $25 and court costs for disturbing the peace in Springfield, Missouri.

1975
10/24 — Sweet was sentenced to a three year and a concurrent four year sentence for Shooting into a Dwelling and Felonious Assault without Malice in Springfield, Missouri. The Execution of the sentence was suspended and Sweet was placed on three years probation. He was discharged from probation on October 2, 1978.

1978
11/08 — Sweet was fined $50 and court costs for Affray in Springfield, Missouri.

1979
May — Sweet was fined $57 for Common Assault in Springfield, Missouri.

1981
April — Sweet was fined $ 69.50 for Property Destruction in Springfield, Missouri.

1982
04/01 — Sweet was sentenced to server two, six month consecutive sentences for Peace Disturbance and Stealing in Springfield, Missouri. Sweet was also fined one hundred dollars and court costs.

1983
01/19 — Sweet was sentenced to 30 days in the Greene County Jail and fined $ 500 and court costs for Driving while Intoxicated in Springfield, Missouri. The jail sentence was suspended and Sweet was placed on two years unsupervised probation.

1987
2/9 – Sweet is arrested for the murder of Trooper Russell Harper of the Missouri State Highway Patrol in Springfield, Missouri.
3/12 – Sweet is charged with Murder First Degree in Greene County.
12/7 – Sweet’s trial begins in Clay on a change of venue.
12/12 – Sweet is convicted of Murder First Degree.

1988
1/20 – Sweet is sentenced to death and his conviction and sentence is appealed to the Missouri State Supreme Court.
11/29 – Sweet filed a motion in the Circuit court for post-conviction relief.

1989
9/15 – The Circuit Court denied Sweet’s motion for post-conviction relief.

1990
9/11 – The Missouri State Supreme Court affirmed the conviction, sentence and denial for post-conviction relief.

1991
3/18 – The United States Supreme Court denied discretionary review of Sweet’s state court appeal.
3/20 – Sweet filed a federal petition for writ of habeas corpus in the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri.

1995
11/22 – The U.S. District Court denied Sweet’s habeas corpus petition.

1997
11/10 – The United States of Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit affirmed the District Court’s decision denying federal habeas corpus relief.

1998
3/9 – The United States Supreme Court declined to review Sweet’s habeas case.
3/22 – The Missouri State Supreme Court issued an order and warrant of execution setting Sweet’s execution for April 22, 1998.

State of Missouri v. Donald Jones

979 S.W.2d 171 (Mo.banc 1998)

Donald Jones was executed at 12:07 a.m., April 27, 2005

Jones_DonaldCase Facts: On March 6, 1993, Donald Jones went to his grandmother’s house around midnight to get some money to buy crack cocaine. When Jones arrived, the grandmother, Dorothy Knuckles, let him in, and they went to her bedroom on the second floor. While in the bedroom Jones asked the grandmother for money. She refused and started lecturing Jones about his drinking and use of cocaine.

Jones went downstairs to the kitchen, picked up a butcher block that contained knives, hid it behind him and went upstairs. His grandmother started lecturing him again, and Jones hit her several times with the butcher block while she screamed. Jones apparently became afraid that the neighbors might hear her screaming, picked up a knife that had fallen out of the butcher block and stabbed her until she stopped screaming and fell back onto her bed.

Jones took his grandmother’s car keys, money, and VCR, and he drove off in her car. Jones purchased some drugs, sold the VCR and rented out the car to get money to but drugs.

The grandmother’s body was discovered on March 8, 1993, by her son. On March 9, 1993, the police went to Jones’ place of work to question him. Jones was not under arrest at this time, and he agreed to follow the police to the homicide office. After some conversations at the office, Jones became a suspect and was informed of his Miranda rights. Jones then said, “It’s the monster inside of me.” He explained that the monster inside him was the crack cocaine that had caused him to kill his grandmother. He gave an audiotape statement of the above facts on how he killed his grandmother.

Final Statement by Donald Jones

Praise God!
Every day is a day to give the Lord thanks for all He’s done! To my Beautiful Family, Friends, and all those whose been in prayer, in thought and support, I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. To my Family, you will never truely know how your love, prayers, and forgiveness has sustained me all these years, to all my friends and supporters, especially my Beautiful Angels at St. Louis University, your courage and conviction is inspiring, keep the sturggle alive. To my mother who truly has been hurt the most, your love and strength I carry with me always. Take care of my son. I”m finally free and I’m going home to grandmother now. I love you all and God Bless.

Donnie

Legal Chronology

1993
03/07 – Donald Jones murders and robs Dorothy Knuckles in St. Louis, Missouri.

1994
06/06 – Jones goes on trial for First Degree Murder and ARmed Criminal Action in the Circuit Court of St. Louis city. On June 16, 1994, Jones is found guilt of both counts and the jury recommends a sentence of death for the murder and Life for the Armed Criminal Action.

07/22 – Trial court sentences Jones to death.

1995
03/01 – Jones files a post-conviction relief motion in the circuit court.

1997
10/22 – Circuit court denies Jones’ post-conviction relief motion.

1998
11/03 – The Missouri Supreme Court affirms Jones’ conviction and sentence. State. v. Jones, 979 S.W. 2d 171 (Mo.banc 1998)

1999
01/19 – The United States Supreme Court denies Jones petition for writ of certiorari. Jones v. Missouri, 525 U.S. 1112 (1999).

2000
01/18 – Jones files petition for writ of habeas corpus in the United States District Court.

2001
10/01 – The United States District Court of Appeals affirms the District Court’s denial of Jones’ petition for writ of habeas corpus.

2004
03/03 – The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals affirms the District Court’s denial of Jones’ petition for write of habeas corpus. Jones v. Leubbers, 359 F.3d 1005 (8th Cir. 2004)
12/06 – The United States Supreme Court denies Jones’ petition for writ of certiorari. Jones v. Roper, 04-6756.

2005
01/21 – State files motion to set execution date wiht the Missouri Supreme Court.
03/28 – Missouri Supreme kCourt sets Jones’ execution date for April 27, 2005.

State of Missouri v. Marlin Gray

887 S.W.2d 369 (Mo.banc 1994)

Marlin Gray was executed at 12:07 a.m., Wednesday, October 26, 2005.

GrayMCase Facts:  On the evening of April 4,1991 Martin Gray, Reginald Clemons, Antonio Richardson and Daniel Winfrey went to the Chain of Rocks Bridge which spans the Mississippi River between St.Louis and Illinois. Two sisters, Julie and Robin Kerry and their cousin, Thomas Cummins, also went to the bridge that evening so that the Kerry sisters could show their cousin a poem they had written on the bridge.

While on the bridge the two groups encountered each other, exchanging pleasantries and talking for a short time. Gray showed Cummins and the Kerrys how to climb down a manhole on the deck of the bridge to a metal platform that lead to a concrete pier supporting the bridge. Gray told Cummins it was a good place to be alone with a woman. When the two groups separated the Kerrys and Cummins walked east toward Illinois and the others went west toward Missouri.

Shortly after the groups separated, Clemons suggested that they rob the Kerrys and Cummins. Gray replied that he felt like hurting someone and the group turned around and walked east. They eventually came upon the Kerrys and Cummins, who had turned around and were now walking back toward the Missouri side.

As the groups passed a bend in the bridge, Gray put his arm around Cummins and told him ”This is a robbery. Get down on the ground.” Cummins complied and Richardson, Clemons and Winfrey grabbed the Kerrys. One of the men told the girl to stop screaming or they would be thrown off the bridge. Richardson held the first sister’s shoulders down while demons ripped off her clothing and raped her. Richardson then raped the he first sister while demons held her down. Winfrey held the second sister and covered her face with a coat. One of the assailants told Cummins that he would be killed if he looked up from the ground. Gray then told Winfrey to watch Cummins. Gray and Clemons then tore off the second sister’s clothes and each raped her.

Richardson forced the first sister into the manhole and followed while Gray was raping the second sister. When Gray had finished, he asked Winfrey where Richardson had gone. Winfrey indicated that he had gone west. Gray then went in search of Richardson and the first sister. Clemons then forced the second sister down the manhole through which Richardson had taken the first sister. Clemons then robbed Cummins of his wallet, wristwatch, cash and keys. Clemons then forced Cummins into the manhole. Winfrey went to the entrance of the bridge to find Gray.

Under the bridge, the Kerrys and Cummins were told to step out onto the concrete pier below the metal platform. The Kerrys were pushed from the pier and fell a distance of about 70 feet. Cummins was told to jump which he did. When Cummins came to the surface he saw Julie Kerry nearby in the water and called for her to swim, but then lost sight of her. Cummins did not see either sister again.

Richardson and Clemons met Gray and Winfrey near the entrance to the bridge. Clemons said “We pushed them off. Let’s go.” The group ran to their cars and drove to Alton, Illinois to purchase gas, cigarettes and sandwiches with the money from the robbery. The group then drove back to an observation point near the river where Gray and Clemons speculated that the threewould never make it to the shore. Gray told Clemons that Richardson was brave to push the Kerry sisters off the bridge.

Julie Kerry’s body was found three weeks later in the river by the Sheriff of Pemiscot County, Missouri. Robin Kerry’s body was never recovered. Cummins survived and testified at Gray’s trial.

Legal Chronology

1991
04/05 – Marlin Gray with co-defendents Antonio Richardson, Reginald Clemons and Daniel Winfrey rape and kill Julie and Robin Kerry by pushing them off the Chain of Rocks Bridge in St. Louis, Missouri.
06/21 – Gray is charged by indictment with two counts of First Degree Murder, as well as other felonies.

1992
10/21 – The jury returns a verdict of guilty on two counts of Murder 1st Degree.
10/23 – The jury returns a death sentence as punishment on each count of First Degree Murder.
12/03 – The St. Louis City Circuit Court sentences Gary to death for both murder convictions.

1993
05/06 – Gray files a motion for post-conviction relief in the Circuit Court of St. Louis City.
11/29 – The Circuit Court denies post-conviction relief

1994
10/25 – The Missouri Supreme Court affirms Gray’s conviction and sentence and the denial of post-conviction relief.  State v. Gray, 887 S.W. 2d 369 (Mo. banc 1994).

1995
03/27 – The United States Supreme Court denies certiorari review.  Gray v. Missouri, 514 U.S. 1042 (1995).
04/25 – Gray files a petition for writ of habeas corpus in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri.

2000
07/14 – The District Court denies the petition of writ of habeas corpus in an unpublished order.

2002
02/26 – The Court of Appeals affirms the denial of habeas relief.  Gray v. Bowersox, 281 F.3d 749 (8th Cir. 2002).

2003
01/13 – The Supreme Court declines discretionary review.  Gray v. Luebbers, 537 U.S.115 (2002).
06/24 – The State requests the Missouri Supreme Court to set an execution date.

2005
09/26 – The Missouri Supreme Court sets Gray’s execution date of October 26, 2005.

State of Missouri v. Timothy Johnston

Supreme Court Case Number: 74064 (May 25, 1997)

Timothy L. Johnston was executed at 12:07 a.m., August 31, 2005

JohnstonTCase Facts: At 2:28 a.m. on June 30, 1989, paramedics arrived at the home of Timothy and Nancy Johnston  in response to a 911 call, seeking assistance for a “severe sick case.” The 911 operator also dispatched  a police officer with the St. Louis Police Department to the residence. The ambulance carrying the  paramedics and the police arrived at the Johnston residence at the same time. A male voice from  inside the house directed these emergency personnel to “hurry up, inside. She is in here. She needs  help.” The officer and paramedics stepped over bloodstains on both the sidewalks and front porch.

Just inside the doorway, they found Timothy Johnston bent over a woman lying on the floor,  her otherwise nude upper body draped with a shirt, her face and torso horribly injured, swollen and  bloody. A six-inch gash ran across her forehead to the socket of her right eye. Someone had yanked  Large patches of hair from her head. She was not breathing. The police had to remove a very  agitated Timothy Johnston before paramedics could assess the woman’s condition.

Paramedics declared Ms. Johnston dead at the scene. An autopsy performed later that morning  revealed extensive, blunt-trauma injuries over much of her upper body; a broken nose; bruised and  torn lips; scrapes to the back of her head and face; separation of a portion of her scalp from the skull; a broken right collarbone; a four-inch tear in her liver; bruising and tearing in the heart and  spleen; fractures in nearly all of her ribs and a variety a relatively “minor”scrapes and bruises over  much of her body. The medical examiner determined the cause of death as the collapse of the
support structure around her heart and lungs, rendering those organs unable to function because  they could not bear the weight of the muscle, tissue and bone pressing on them. Bleeding under the  skin confirmed that the victim had remained alive through most of the beating.

When questioned, Johnston claimed a motorcycle gang that wanted “to get back at him”  had killed his wife, leaving her body for him to discover at their home. Further investigation revealed  three witnesses who identified Johnston as the individual they observed severely beating, kicking, stomping and dragging a woman on the sidewalk and porch earlier in the evening. Johnston eventually  confessed to the murder, saying he and his wife had been at a Local bar when they got into an  argument that continued to when they went home.

Missouri Supreme Court opinion.

Legal Chronology

1989
06/30 – Timothy Johnston murders Nancy Johnston in St.Louis, Missouri.
07/24 – Johnston is charged by indictment with First Degree Murder and Armed Criminal Action.

1991
05/16 – The jury returns a verdict of guilty of Murder 1st Degree and Armed Criminal Action.
05/18 – The jury returns a death sentence as punishment for First Degree Murder and life imprisonment for Armed Criminal Action.
07/26 – The St.Louis City Circuit Court sentences Johnston to death for the First Degree Murder conviction and Life imprisonment for the Armed Criminal Action conviction.

1992
01/02 – Johnston files a motion for post-conviction relief in the Circuit Court of St.Louis City.

1996
09/30 – The Circuit Court denies post-conviction relief.

1997
11/25 – The Missouri Supreme Court affirms Johnston’s conviction and sentence and the denial of post-conviction relief. State v. Johnston, 957 S.W.2d 734 (Mo.banc 1997)

1998
03/02 – The United States Supreme Court denies certiorari review. Johnston v. Missouri, 522 U.S.5O(1998).
08/14 – Johnston files a petition for writ of habeas corpus in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri.

2000
11/02 – The District Court denies the petition for writ of habeas corpus. Johnston v. Bowersox, 119 F.Supp. 2d 971 (E.D.Mo.2000).

2002
05/01 – The Court of Appeals affirms the deniaL of habeas relief. Johnston v.Luebbers, 288 F.3d 1048 (8th Cir. 2002).

2003
01/21 – The Supreme Court declines certiorari review. Johnston v. Roper, 537 U.S. 1166 (2003).
05/12 – The State requests the Missouri Supreme Court to set an execution date.

2005
08/01 – The Missouri Supreme Court sets Johnston’s execution date of August 31, 2005.

State of Missouri v. Vernon Brown

902 S.W. 2d 278 (Mo.banc 1995)

Vernon Brown was executed at 2:35 a.m., May 18, 2005.

BrownV
Case Facts: On October 24, 1986, nine-year old Janet Perkins left the Cole Schoot in north St. Louis around 3:00 p.m. and walked toward her home three and a half blocks away. She generally took the same route each day, west on Enright Avenue. Under normal circumstances, the trip took Less than 15 minutes.
        
Vernon Brown, who was then using the name Thomas Tur rier, had picked up his stepsons from Cole School and returned to their home on Enright Avenue in time to see Janet walking past. Brown called to her and ultimately enticed her to enter the house.
        
Browns stepsons saw Janet enter the house. A neighbor’s relative saw Brown on the front porch and Janet walking up the steps to the house, Brown ordered the stepsons to their bedroom and locked the door from the outside. Despite Browns claims that at this point he began suffering PCP-induced blackouts, Brown’s own statements, the testimony of his stepsons, and the physical evidence show that he took Janet to the basement of the house and bound her feet and one hand with a wire coat hanger, forcing her into a crouched position that permitted her head to reach the height of Brown’s genitalia. Brown then strangled Janet to death with a rope.
        
The next day, law enforcement authorities found Janet’a body in two trash bags near a dumpster in an alley behind Brown’s house. Further investigation raised suspicion about Brown. When suspicion turned to probable cause, St. Louis police arrested Brown on October 27, 1986, confronted him with their evidence, including testimony of a neighbor who had seen Janet enter Brown’s house, and asked Brown to tell them where to find Janet’s missing shoe, raincoat and school papers. Brown led police to a different dumpster in which they found a bag containing Janet’s missing property.
        
Brown made a videotaped statement implicating himself as Janet’s killer. In a subsequent statement, Brown also admitted killing Synetta Ford, a woman who had been murdered on March 7, 1985.

Updated from Missouri Department of Corrections documents on May 18, 2005.

Legal Chronology

1986
10/24 – Vernon Brown murders Janet Perkins in St. Louis, Missouri.
11/18 – Brown is charged by indictment with two counts of First Degree Murder, including kthe 1985 murder of Synetta Ford.

1988
10/27 – The jury returns a verdict of guilty of Murder 1st Degree.
10/31 – The jury returns a death sentence.
12/13 – The Circuit Court of St. Louis City sentences Brown to death for the Janet Perkins murder conviction.            

1989
07/06 – Brown files a post-conviction relief motion in the circuit court of St. Louis City.

1994
03/08 – Circuit court denies post-conviction relief motion.

1995
07/20 – The Missouri Supreme Court affirms Brown’s conviction and sentence and the denial of post-conviction relief. State v. Brown, 902 S.W. 2d 278 (Mo.banc 1995).
12/11 – The United State Supreme Court denies certiorari review. Brown v. Missouri, 516 U. S. 1031 (1995).
12/11 – Brown files a petition for writ of habeas corpus in the United State District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri.

2000     
07/05 – The District Court denies the petition for writ of habeas corpus.

2001
02/23 – The Court of Appeals affirms the denial of habeas relief.

2002
02/19 – The U.S. Supreme Court denies discretionary review. Brown v. Luebbers, 5340 U. s. 1135 (2002).
02/25 – The State requests the Missouri Supreme Court to set an execution date.

2005
04/15 – Missouri Supreme Court sets Brown’s execution date of May 18, 2005.