(Catholic) Death-row inmate executed after governor denies clemency

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INDIANAPOLIS (CNS) – On May 24, Gov. Mitch Daniels denied Indiana death-row inmate Gregory Scott Johnson’s clemency petition, and the prisoner, who became a Catholic while in prison, was executed by lethal injection at 12:28 a.m. May 25 at the state prison in Michigan City. He was convicted of murdering Ruby Hutslar, an 82-year-old Anderson, Ind., resident, and setting her house on fire on June 23, 1985, following a burglary at her home when he was 20 years old. Johnson had asked the governor to commute his capital sentence to life in prison without parole or to postpone his execution until a later date so he could donate a portion of his liver to his sister, Debra Otis of Anderson, who suffers from a nonalcoholic type of cirrhosis of the liver and needs a transplant. During a May 20 hearing at the Indiana Government Center in Indianapolis, the state parole board voted 4-0 to recommend that Daniels not grant clemency for Johnson.
Brief
 
How gross. How much latitude does a governor have to commute a sentence?

Lisa N
 
A bit more on his conversion can be found in the middle of this article…

Condemned man’s death orderly, quick

By DOUGLAS WALKER
dwalker@muncie.gannett.com

Editor’s note: Douglas Walker, metro editor of The Star Press, witnessed the execution of convicted murderer Gregory Scott Johnson early Wednesday. This is his account.

MICHIGAN CITY - A few seconds before he lapsed into unconsciousness while strapped on a gurney in the Indiana State Prison’s death chamber, Gregory Scott Johnson nodded and displayed a “thumbs up” gesture to me and five other people he had chosen to witness his execution.

Johnson, 40, was pronounced dead at 12:28 a.m. Wednesday after receiving a series of lethal injections administered over a period of five to eight minutes - via intravenous tubes - by one or more executioners in a separate room, out of view both to the convicted killer and the witnesses.

In an interview last week - his final interview, as it would turn out - the Anderson man told me that after nearly 19 years on Death Row, he was ready to die.

“It’s an existence I’ve had enough of,” he said. “As far as going to die, I’m as ready as I can be.”

Johnson’s death came a month shy of the 20-year anniversary of the slaying of his 82-year-old neighbor, Ruby Hutslar, who was brutally stomped to death in her southside Anderson home, which was then set on fire. The day of his arrest, Johnson - already a suspect in more than two dozen arson fires in Madison County - confessed to the slaying. . . .
Full article
 
What interest of a state like Indiana was served by not allowing that man to serve a life sentence instead of being killed by the authorities?
 
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Richardols:
What interest of a state like Indiana was served by not allowing that man to serve a life sentence instead of being killed by the authorities?
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THat was my question. If a sentence is pronounced and all appeals are fruitless, what latitude is available from the governor? It may be his hands are effectively tied. Also it might be a political philosophy if the people have made their decision it should be respected. If that decision has been upheld through the appeal process, then what is the governor doing overruling the will of the people?

I wish we simply got rid of the death penalty and provided true life sentences with the convicted felon having to do something beside sit on his bum—work, repaying victims, etc. IOW I don’t want them not to be punished but I still see no reason for the death penalty in anything but the most extreme circumstances.
Lisa N
 
Lisa N:
I wish we simply got rid of the death penalty and provided true life sentences with the convicted felon having to do something beside sit on his bum—work, repaying victims, etc. IOW I don’t want them not to be punished but I still see no reason for the death penalty in anything but the most extreme circumstances.
Lisa N
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We rarely agree, Lisa, but I’m with you on ths one!
 
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stumbler:
Johnson had asked the governor to commute his capital sentence to life in prison without parole or to postpone his execution until a later date so he could donate a portion of his liver to his sister, Debra Otis of Anderson, who suffers from a nonalcoholic type of cirrhosis of the liver and needs a transplant.
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I want to comment on this part.

The Governer recieved letters from two doctors who are transplant specialists who advised him that this individual was not a good candidate to donate a part of his liver to his sister becuase he has the hepatitis b antibody and he is over weight. Also his sister needs a kidney and it would be better for her if she got both from the same donor.
 
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ByzCath:
I want to comment on this part.

The Governer recieved letters from two doctors who are transplant specialists who advised him that this individual was not a good candidate to donate a part of his liver to his sister becuase he has the hepatitis b antibody and he is over weight. Also his sister needs a kidney and it would be better for her if she got both from the same donor.
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You are right. Had he been a good candidate for transplant they could have taken a kidney and part of the liver without killing him. Still what a dreadful action on the part of the state. I would hate to be a governor who felt he could do nothing to stop this terrible practice.

Lisa N
 
Lisa N:
You are right. Had he been a good candidate for transplant they could have taken a kidney and part of the liver without killing him. Still what a dreadful action on the part of the state. I would hate to be a governor who felt he could do nothing to stop this terrible practice.

Lisa N
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As Governer, his job is to uphold the laws of the State. As capital punishment is the law within his State, he did as he saw as being correct. Seeing that the Supreme Court refused to hear the case and the fact that the state parole board, which is his advisor in these matters, recommend that he not grant clemency.

I do not think the Governer did anything worng here.

What about the fact that this man broke into the house of an elderly woman and stomped her to death and then lit her house on fire in a attempt to hide the crime.
 
Headline from the article:

**Condemned man’s death orderly, quick

**Do you suppose the 80 year old victim’s death by stomping was the same?

From the article (I added emphasis):

*As for me, I’m likely to retain that image of a dying and dead Johnson on that gurney for some time to come. It might be linked with the only vivid memory I retain of his murder trial 19 years after the fact, that of viewing a grim photo of Hutslar taken shortly before her autopsy. In the photo, Hutslar’s face seemed to reflect the sense of terror she must have experienced in her final moments.

*Some people deserve to die for their crimes. He had the benefit of receiving the sacraments before his death. Do you suppose he allowed his victim the chance to go to confession, receive the Eucharist, and receive the Last Rites?
 
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ByzCath:
As Governer, his job is to uphold the laws of the State. As capital punishment is the law within his State, he did as he saw as being correct. Seeing that the Supreme Court refused to hear the case and the fact that the state parole board, which is his advisor in these matters, recommend that he not grant clemency.

I do not think the Governer did anything worng here.

What about the fact that this man broke into the house of an elderly woman and stomped her to death and then lit her house on fire in a attempt to hide the crime.
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ByzCath in no way do I mean to rationalize the heinous nature of the crime. It’s horrible. Nor did I say the governor did something wrong. I was just curious what kind of latitude a governor had to grant clemency.

I’m basically against the death penalty other than in the most extreme circumstances such as a person who is simply impossible to control and creates a danger to other inmates or guards, or the outside world. This man although he committed a disgusting and evil act, does not fall into that category from what I learned from this thread. Again, more than anything I was curious about the latitude a governor had in such cases.

Lisa N
 
Lisa N:
Again, more than anything I was curious about the latitude a governor had in such cases.

Lisa N
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I can only speak about my state, but here the Governor has an unlimited ability to grant clemency. In reality though, most governors defer to the judgement of the pardon & parole board. I can’t remember the last time a governor went against the parole board by pardoning a prisoner against the board’s recommendation. Our last Catholic governor though routinely denied clemency against the board’s recommendation.
 
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SnorterLuster:
I can only speak about my state, but here the Governor has an unlimited ability to grant clemency. In reality though, most governors defer to the judgement of the pardon & parole board. I can’t remember the last time a governor went against the parole board by pardoning a prisoner against the board’s recommendation. Our last Catholic governor though routinely denied clemency against the board’s recommendation.
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Thank you for replying. That does make sense. Did the parole board recommend clemency in this case? The death penalty isn’t much of an issue in this state as we have it but never use it.

Lisa N
 
Does the Gospel story of the woman taken in adultery mean nothing to American Catholics?
 
I want to ask for prayers for all those involved.
The victim, the killer and our Deacon who was a witness and was there with him until the end.

I spoke with him the next day to see how he was doing and he said it was tough.

May everyone find peace.
 
Lisa N:
ByzCath in no way do I mean to rationalize the heinous nature of the crime. It’s horrible. Nor did I say the governor did something wrong. I was just curious what kind of latitude a governor had to grant clemency.

I’m basically against the death penalty other than in the most extreme circumstances such as a person who is simply impossible to control and creates a danger to other inmates or guards, or the outside world. This man although he committed a disgusting and evil act, does not fall into that category from what I learned from this thread. Again, more than anything I was curious about the latitude a governor had in such cases.

Lisa N
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Lisa,
I apologize for the misunderstanding I had. I saw you ask the question on what kind of latitude a governor has and I took that the wrong way.

I think it depends on the State what kind of latitude a governor has to grant clemency. Each State has its own Constitution which spells this out. I think he could have granted it if he wanted to but he took what the parole board advised.

I agree with you on capital punishment but I disagree with you on this case. This was a very heinous crime that the individual confessed to doing so there was no question if the right man had been convicted.
 
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ByzCath:
Lisa

I agree with you on capital punishment but I disagree with you on this case. This was a very heinous crime that the individual confessed to doing so there was no question if the right man had been convicted.
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ByzCath I agree it was a terrible crime. I’m just more of a follower of the church guidelines that the death penalty be meted out only in very extraordinary cases–my understanding is that the person even if incarcerated is so dangerous to others or who can still impact the outside world could be subjected to the death penalty.

Actually one reason I am curious about the governor’s latitude is that in Texas there seem to be a lot more death penalties actually carried out. I wonder if the governor in that state has less latitude or if it’s a matter that the parole board tends to be less likely to recommend commuting the sentence. Does anyone else remember the case of the departing governor who commuted ALL death sentences?

Lisa N
 
Lisa N:
I’m just more of a follower of the church guidelines that the death penalty be meted out only in very extraordinary cases
Lisa N
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These are actually Pope John Paul II’s guidelines (not the Church’s). For clarification on Church teaching concerning the death penalty I recommend this E-Letter by Karl Keating.

catholic.com/newsletters/kke_040302.asp
 
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MAGDALENE27:
I want to ask for prayers for all those involved.
The victim, the killer and our Deacon who was a witness and was there with him until the end.

I spoke with him the next day to see how he was doing and he said it was tough.

May everyone find peace.
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HAIL holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope.
To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve.
To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn then, most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us.
And after this our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary. Amen.

V. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
 
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