Execution Report: Derrick Johnson

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A jury convicted Johnson of capital murder in November 1999 and sentenced him to death. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the conviction and sentence in January 2002. All of his subsequent appeals in state and federal court were denied.

Marcus Maxwell pleaded guilty to robbery and aggravated sexual assault and was sentenced to 40 years in prison. He remains in custody as of this writing.

On a web site for death row prisoners, Johnson made an appeal for funds to hire a lawyer, claiming that he was innocent. "I feel it's my obligation to convince you of why I make this claim and why you should support me with 'overwhelming factual information' and I certainly intend to," he wrote, but he only offered that information to "friends and supporters who become part of my congregation."

On the web site, Johnson also complained that court-appointed attorneys such as the ones who defended him are lazy and incompetent. "That's a real shock", Wayne Huff, one of Johnson's trial lawyers, said sarcastically.

In one of his appeals, Johnson claimed that the police obtained a confession from him with the promise that he would not be given the death penalty. Detectives testified that Johnson proposed that bargain to them, but they rejected it and made no deals with him.

Johnson declined to speak with reporters in the week prior to his execution.

The execution was attended by Johnson's mother and by Curry's father and two sisters. Curry's mother died shortly after the conclusion of Johnson's trial. "Don't cry. It's my situation", Johnson said to his mother. "I got it. Hold tight. It's going to shine on the golden child." He then told her he loved her, and said, "That concludes the statement." He did not acknowledge his victim's family. The lethal injection was then started. He was pronounced dead at 6:23 p.m.

By David Carson. Posted on 1 May 2009.
Sources: Texas Attorney General's office, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, court documents, Associated Press, Dallas Morning News, www.lampofhope.org.