On November 29, 2022, the state of Missouri will murder Kevin “KJ” Johnson, a young man with a history of family trauma and abuse whose life took a dramatic turn the day his younger brother died.
Join the growing list of supporters who have signed the #ClemencyForKJ petition. Then, download our toolkit to post and share on social media, and demand Governor Parson grant clemency to Kevin.
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Kevin’s Story
When Kevin was 19 years old, Kirkwood police officers sought to arrest him on a misdemeanor probation warrant. Then, his beloved 12-year-old brother, Joseph “BamBam” Long, suddenly collapsed and ultimately died from a heart defect. It appeared to Kevin, who watched from his great-grandmother’s house next door, that the police were more interested in rounding him up than caring for his fallen brother. Kevin watched Sgt. William McEntee force his distraught mother out of the house where BamBam had collapsed and subsequently block her from re-entering. Sgt. McEntee returned to the neighborhood later that day, and Kevin approached the officer’s vehicle and shouted, “You killed my brother,” before firing several fatal shots.
After witnessing the sudden and tragic death of his beloved youngest brother earlier in the day, Kevin didn’t have the mental and emotional tools to process the grief; he lashed out by killing a police officer whom he believed was culpable for the death of his younger brother.
Kevin is remorseful for the actions he took as a traumatized teen and has spent the last 17 years addressing his mental-health problems, serving as a mentor for younger men entering prison, and being a present and supportive father to the best of his ability. He also recently became a grandfather for the first time. Kevin has matured into an insightful young man and gained perspective on his life and actions prior to entering prison. He expresses genuine remorse for killing Sgt. McEntee. His subsequent actions after that night are a testament to his dedication to healing and accountability.
Kevin’s case reflects the racially biased practices of former St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert McCulloch, the same prosecutor who refused to bring charges against the officer who killed Michael Brown, Jr., in 2014. During his decades in office, McCulloch’s bias was palpable, as he regularly personalized cases, including Kevin Johnson’s, during which he served as the trial prosecutor. During the first trial, McCulloch could not secure a conviction; this resulted in a hung jury that favored a lesser, non-capital charge, 10–2.
During the second trial, McCulloch used his peremptory strikes to eliminate Black jurors and ensure a predominately white jury that recommended a death sentence. This pattern of racial bias, known as a Batson Violation, is especially troubling in its administering of the ultimate punishment: the death penalty. Under McCulloch, murder cases with white victims accounted for nearly 60% of the cases in which the death penalty was sought, even though such cases represented only one-third of capital-eligible homicides in St. Louis County.
Kevin’s case reflects the death penalty’s arbitrariness and disproportionate application against the most vulnerable defendants. We are calling for the Governor of Missouri to grant Kevin clemency and stop him from being executed on November 29, 2022.
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HOW YOU CAN HELP KJ:
1. POST AND SHARE: Copy and paste the following suggested social-media captions, graphics, and video clips in the GraphicsForKJ Google folder. Read the TalkingPointsForKJ to learn more, and print the KJ Clemency One-Pager to share.
2. FOLLOW: @madpmo on FB, IG, and Twitter, and visit www.madpmo.org to learn more about Kevin Johnson’s case and the many ways you can support and stay involved.
3. TAKE ACTION: Join the growing list of supporters who have signed the #ClemencyForKJ petition at MADP ClemencyForKJ Petition; download our toolkit; or use the suggested captions, correspondence, and graphics to tweet, email, or write Governor Parson.
4. ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT: Complete this form to pledge your organization’s support of #ClemencyForKJ. The Org Sign-On letter will be amplified publicly and forwarded to the Governor.
5. SUBSCRIBE: To Missourians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty’s (MADP) email list to get updates on the campaign and upcoming events.
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