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Murderer Executed; Atmore Resident Faces Death Penalty Next
September 23, 2011
Death row inmate Derrick O’Neal Mason was executed Thursday evening at Holman Prison in Atmore — just less than a month before an Atmore resident is scheduled to die by lethal injection.
Mason (pictured left) was put to death for the 1994 murder of a Huntsville convenience store clerk. Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley declined to commute the death sentence to life without parole, and the U.S. Supreme Court and the Alabama Supreme court turned down last ditch efforts by Mason’s attorneys to stop the execution.
Christopher Thomas Johnson of Atmore is scheduled to be executed at Holman Prison on October 20 for admitting to the beating death of his 6-month old son. Johnson said he killed the baby at the couple’s Horner Street residence because he hated his wife.
“You go see Jesus,” were the last words Johnson said to his son, he testified at his trial.
Johnson fired his public defenders and served as his own attorney during his 2006 Escambia County trial, telling the judge and jury that he wanted the death penalty for his actions. It took the jury less than a half hour to return a guilty verdict, and the death penalty was imposed. The Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals has upheld the capital murder conviction and the death penalty for Johnson.
To date, Johnson has decline further appeals.
Comments
12 Responses to “Murderer Executed; Atmore Resident Faces Death Penalty Next”
I knew Chris at one time. We were the same age and attended a small church in Alabama. He had always been a troubled child, and rightfully so. If he wasn’t being neglected or rejected by the adults in his life, he was being preyed upon by them. This does not in any way justify or excuse his actions. But it demonstrates the degree to which a person can be damaged when denied love and compassion as a child. He had the same potential as myself. It is greatly disturbing for me to see what has happened to him. All of this could have been avoided. Hopefully, we can learn from this and reach out to people around us, especially children, who are in desparate situations. I am praying for Chris, his son’s mother and their families.
Becca, thanks for the correction.
France did stop executing folks back in 1977. However when they did there was very little notice given to the condemned.
I agree with that concept as most murder victims aren’t given much notice or a last meal at the taxpayers cost.
Everett…france does not practice capital punishment
If this man would brutally murder his own infant child, what do you think he could do to you or me. The sun will rise on Oct 21, 2011, on a world shed of this monster.
To Atmore G no disrespect to you or your views but to answer your question “At the end of the day who among us wants to take responsibility for taking the life of another human being under any circumstances?” To know that man did that to that baby he deserves what he gave.An eye for an eye.If that were law instead of these monsters doing this and more to children and others and getting free room and board,three meals a day and ac,plus medical care working people can’t afford our prisons wouldn’t be over full.Yes he is to die for his actions but there should be no mixed emotions for anyone.The baby is all I can picture.How could anyone do something so horrible? I for one would have no problem taken a swing.
In China the death penalty is carried out within 30 days. In France it’s less than 90 days. The French have the policy that they inform the condemed the morning of the execution to be carried out later that day. We are much to easy here. One day when China takes over when we can’t pay out debts back to them we will see a justice system like no other.
REGARDING:
“No one took the time to think of the history of his life to see why his behavior was abnormal. ”
You might be surprised to discover that all murderers exhibit abnormal behavior. (Killing other people is abnormal behavior, so far.)
I am reminded how the old USSR had few people in prison. They decided all criminal behaviors were signs of mental problems. They put hundreds of thousands of them in mental institutions. Some were treated to behavior modification using lead bullets. Some of those mental institutions had salt mines for inmate exercise and the mortality rate was high, but they weren’t criminals by their definition.
An alternative theory is that some people are evil and will do evil things and those how have done evil things did so because of the evil in their minds. If you could take away that evil attitude, you could safely leave your loved ones in their care and live safely next to them. You could elect them to public office, make law enforcement officers and food inspectors of them. You would never fear their release into your community, worry every time your child was late getting home.
Sadly, you can’t. Fix that problem and come back with alternative responses to evil actions. Many if not most will go along because we hate the cost of killing and/or confining dangerous people — cost in money, cost in humanity, cost in fear. Until you have a better way, we are stuck with the old imperfect system.
David for freezing murderers
until you can thaw them as non-killers
Capital punishment is final, and it is the ultimate penalty that can be administered for a criminal act.. It is only carried out after one or more trials, and endless appeals etc. The murders committed by those found guilty however, were carried out with no regard for fairness, no deliberation or civilized debate.. At the end of the day, this question still remains.. Who among us wants to take responsibility for the taking of a human life under any circumstances.. Quite frankly, I still have mixed emotions..
Why should the jury have taken time to look at him or his life? Yes it is very sad for all involved,but it doesn’t seem he stopped to think of that precious baby.If he was that screwed up and wish to die he should have taken his own life and left the baby alone.He killed the baby out of pure spite for the mother.That was no reason to do what he did to that child.That is so grossly horrible! I say beat him to death like he did his baby instead of letting him fall asleep peacfully!!What choice did he give his child?Can you imagen what was going through that child’s mind or how bad he was hurting to die? That is what I think about and it makes me cry everytime I read this story or think about it.No parent should take out that kind of angry on a child.He was a gift from God and was never given a chance.The father deserves nothing.
I feel this Guy needs physiological help. Yes I’m hurt that he has beaten a six month year old baby to death I want a baby and as bad as it hurt me to hear this I feel he needs help. It is very abnormal for this kind of behavior we all know that. I feel everyone in the jury looked at him and was so hurt and felt there were no excuses of this kind d of behavior and decided he deserves to die of his request. No one took the time to think of the history of his life to see why his behavior was abnormal. I feel like he wanted to committe suicide and this is his way of going.g about it he probably was very emotionaly unstable and was hurt about something or someone and wanted them to feel the pain of it also. As was said he haited his wife but he married her. He had a baby than killed him I feel there’s something definitely wrong and he should be looked at as insane.
what goes around cames around,kama will get you every time
Capital punishment! What a wonderful thing! Just wondering why it takes 17 years to execute a convicted murderer? Justice served!