- Missouri — (NBC News) Ernest Johnson, 61, was exe- cuted Oct. 5 by lethal injection at a state prison in Bonne Terre. His lawyers claimed that he had the intellectual capacity of a child. Johnson was convicted in the mur- ders of three convenience store employees almost three decades ago. Pope Francis, two members of Congress and former Democratic Gov. Bob Holden were among those who spoke out against the execution.
- Salem, OR — (AP) The state’s court of appeals reversed the murder conviction and death sentence of Jesse Johnson on Oct. 6, saying his defense team failed to interview a key witness. Johnson, who is Black, did not fit the description described bya witness who said a White person fled from the victim’s home. Johnson has repeatedly claimed innocence and refused a plea deal. Johnson’s attorney during the appeal claimed that racism and police misconduct contributed to his wrongful conviction.
- Tampa, FLA — (Tampa Bay Times) Robert DuBoise, 56, spent 37 years in prison for a crime he did not com-mit. DuBoise filed a law-suit in federal court against three former detectives, a former police sergeant and a forensic dentist for fabri-cating bite mark evidence that falsely implicated him bara Grams. In 2020, newly tested DNA evidence proved he did not commit the crime. DuBoise spent three years on Death Row before his sentence was reduced to life in prison. He was freed from prison in August 2020.
- Maine — (Portland Press Herald) A new law that eliminates cash bail requirements for most minor charges is set to go into effect this October. Lawmakers say the new law could help ease some of the pressures on the state’s county jails caused by staffing shortages and a COVID-19 outbreak.
- Baltimore, MD — (AP) Kirk Bloodsworth, 60, served almost nine years in prison, including two on Death Row, before it was determined that he was wrong-fully convicted. He was awarded a little more than$400,000 by the state Board of Public Works on Oct. 6 As part of a new compensation system that allows an administrative law judge to decide whether an exoneree is eligible to receive compensation.
- USA — (Wall Street Journal) CoreCivic and GEO Group, the prison industry’s two largest publicly traded companies, are creating new revenue by signing deals known as intergovernmental agreements with cities and counties. The agreements permit the transfer of federal prisoners from local law enforcement to private detention facilities.
- Nashville, TENN — (AP) The state prison system now has a suicide prevention hotline so that friends and family of prisoners can call to connect with the department’s Central Communication Center. The center is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The hotline number is 1-833-421-SAVE
