EXTREMELY SENSITIVE CONTENT – 18+ ONL
This article reconstructs the final 24 hours in the life of Edward Earl Johnson – who was executed by lethal injection on May 20, 1987, at the Mississippi State Penitentiary. The content is intended solely for educational and historical documentation purposes, based on prison records, official reports, documentaries, and witness testimonies. It is not meant to be gratuitously shocking, to glorify criminals, or to advocate for or against the death penalty.
The Final 24 Hours of Edward Earl Johnson (May 19–20, 1987 – Mississippi State Penitentiary, Parchman)
Brief Background
Edward Earl Johnson (born 1955) was sentenced to death in 1979 for the murder of police officer Jack T. Trest and the rape of a woman in Walnut Grove, Mississippi. He always maintained his innocence and claimed he had been coerced into confessing. After years of unsuccessful appeals, his execution date was set for May 20, 1987. This was one of the rare executions documented in detail from inside the prison – largely thanks to the documentary film “Fourteen Days in May” by director Paul Hamann (BBC, 1987).
Timeline of the Final 24 Hours
Afternoon and Evening of May 19, 1987 – Transfer to the Death House
Around 2:00–3:00 PM: Johnson was transferred from Death Row to the “death house” (execution holding area) at the Mississippi State Penitentiary (Parchman). The transfer was conducted under strict escort.
He was placed in the holding cell – a private room with a bed, small table, and toilet.
He was served his last meal as requested: a ham sandwich, french fries, a soda, and chocolate cake. He ate part of it and then stopped.
He was allowed to meet with his family (mother, sister, and several relatives) for approximately 2–3 hours. This was their final meeting. The family members were permitted to stay with him in the holding room, a rare occurrence in executions.
Johnson spent most of this time talking with his family, reading the Bible, and praying. He appeared calm, but there were moments when he trembled and held his mother tightly.
Night of May 19 – Morning of May 20, 1987 (12:00 AM – 9:00 AM)
Johnson barely slept. He continued praying, talking with his family, and speaking with the prison chaplain.
He refused the sedatives offered by the prison prior to execution.
Around 3:30–4:00 AM, he was allowed to take a final shower and change into the standard blue prison uniform.
He was brought to the holding area, waiting in silence, with only the sound of clocks and the footsteps of guards. His family was still permitted to stay near him until just before the execution time.
Morning of May 20, 1987 – 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Johnson was allowed to meet with the chaplain and his lawyers one last time.
He declined to make a public statement to the press.
Witnesses (representatives of the victim’s family, legal personnel, selected media) began arriving at the witness room.
Johnson was led into the execution chamber at around 11:50 AM. He was strapped to the execution table, with restraints securing his arms and legs.
The Execution – Approximately 12:00–12:15 PM
12:00 PM: The first drug (sodium thiopental – anesthetic) was administered. Johnson remained conscious and said: “I love my family. I didn’t kill anybody.”
12:03 PM: Pancuronium bromide (muscle relaxant) was administered.
12:05 PM: Potassium chloride (stops the heart) was administered.
12:15 PM: The prison physician pronounced him dead.
The entire process was filmed by the documentary crew behind “Fourteen Days in May.”
Aftermath and Reactions
Johnson’s family was present to witness and expressed strong opposition, insisting on his innocence.
The execution sparked major controversy due to questions about the fairness of the trial (there was evidence suggesting coerced testimony and lack of DNA testing available at the time).
The documentary “Fourteen Days in May” (1987) captured nearly the entire final 14 days of Johnson’s life, becoming a crucial document in the debate over the death penalty in the United States.
The final 24 hours of Edward Earl Johnson were a combination of rare family visits, prayer, a last meal, and an execution by lethal injection that followed standard procedure on the noon of May 20, 1987. He is one of the few executed individuals whose final hours were captured in such detailed visual documentation – a rare record that helped the public understand what happened behind the doors of the execution chamber. His case remains referenced as an example of the ongoing debates surrounding the death penalty and justice in America.
Main Sources:
The documentary “Fourteen Days in May” – BBC (1987), directed by Paul Hamann (which recorded Johnson’s final 14 days)
Execution records from the Mississippi Department of Corrections (May 20, 1987)
Official report from the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office regarding the execution of Edward Earl Johnson
Contemporary reporting from The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Associated Press (May 20, 1987)
Death Penalty Information Center: Detailed records on executions in Mississippi in 1987
“United States v. Edward Earl Johnson” – archival documents from federal and state courts (1979–1987)
Records from the Lauderdale County District Attorney’s Office and Mississippi State Courts