ernest Johnson

Current Proceedings: Habeas reopened after Bucklew Grant, Vacate, Remand (vacating Johnson v. Precythe, 901 F.3d 973 (8th Cir. 2018)).

Case Number: 15-3420; 17-2222 (8th Circuit)

Judge:

  • Judges Lavenski R. Smith

  • C. Arlen Beam

  • Steven M. Colloton

Defendant’s Demographic Information: Black Male

Current Counsel:

Elizabeth Carlyle 200 S.E. Douglas Street, Suite 200 Lee’s Summt, MO 64063

Jeremy S. Weis Gaddy & Weis 926 Cherry Kansas City, MO 64106 816.221.8989 (tel.) email: jweis@gaddyweis.com

 

Legal Status: Supplemental briefs filed and oral argument in 8th Circuit held on 09/24/2019. Case pending.

Significant Legal Issues:

  • Claim of intellectual disability under Atkins v. Virginia, 536 U.S. 304 (2002)

  • Competency to be executed in light of brain tumor and other mental health issues; lethal injection issues relating to brain tumor

  • Counsels’ effectiveness in developing and presenting evidence of Mr. Johnson’s intellectual disability

  • Admission of reports from non-testifying state’s expert

  • Whether the Constitution forbids the state from assigning to Mr. Johnson the burden of proving that he is intellectually disabled by a preponderance of the evidence

Last Judicial Decision Related to Conviction or Sentence:

  • 8th Cir denied relief on Bucklew GVR in Johnson v. Precythe, 954 F.3d 1098 (8th Cir. 2020)

Reported Opinions:

  • Johnson v. Precythe, 954 F.3d 1098 (8th Cir. 2020)

  • Johnson v. Precythe, 901 F.3d 973 (8th Cir. 2018), vacated and remanded in light of Bucklew by 139 S.Ct. 1546 (2019)

  • Appeal dismissed for lack of jurisidiction. Johnson v. Lombardi, 815 F.3d 451 (8th Cir. 2016)

  • Certificate of appealability denied, and appeal dismissed, by Johnson v. Steele, Case No. 13-3162 (8th Cir. Dec. 11, 2013) (unpublished), cert. denied, 135 S. Ct. 65 (2014)

  • Habeas corpus denied by Johnson v. Steele, No. 11-8001-CV-W-DGK, 2013 WL 625318 (W.D. Mo. Feb. 20, 2013); certificate of appealability denied 2013 WL 5417640 (W.D. Mo. Sept. 26, 2013) —Denial of post-conviction relief affirmed by Johnson v. State, 333 S.W.3d 459 (Mo. 2011)

  • Death sentence affirmed on direct appeal following third sentencing trial. See State v. Johnson, 244 S.W.3d 144 (Mo.), cert. denied, 555 U.S. 872 (2008)

  • Denial of post-conviction relief reversed, and new penalty phase trial ordered, by Johnson v. State, 102 S.W.3d 535 (Mo. 2003).

  • Death sentence affirmed (after retrial) on direct appeal by State v. Johnson, 22 S.W.3d 183 (Mo.), cert. denied, 531 U.S. 935 (2000).

  • Convictions affirmed, sentences reversed, on direct appeal by State v. Johnson, 968 S.W.2d 686 (Mo. 1998)

Prior Counsel:

  • Loyce Ann Rhodes Hamilton and Cheryl A. Rafert (1st sentencing)

  • John K. Tucci and Antonio Martin Manansala (Resentencing)

  • Pete E. Carter, William J. Swift, and Valerie Sue Leftwich (2nd resentencing)

Conviction County: Boone

Counts: 3

Victim Demographic:

  • White Female

  • White Female

  • White Male

Crime Date: 02/12/1994

Sentencing Date:

  • 07/20/1995 (1st sentencing)

  • 04/18/1999 (Resentencing)

  • 06/12/2006 (2nd resentencing)

Trial Counsel:

  • Nancy McKerrow and Janice Zembles (1st trial)

  • Teoffice Cooper and Delores Berman (2nd trial)

  • Elizabeth Carlyle and Timothy Cisar (3rd trial)

Trial Judge: Gene Hamilton

Trial Prosecutor: Kevin Crane