Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - Condemned man wants to donate liver to dying sister

scout · 05-25-2005, 01:06 AM

The latest news is his request was denied. I heard on the news last night he was positive for Hepatitis B so the liver wouldn't have been suitable. Here's the link and story so you all won't have to register unless you want to.

http://www.theindychannel.com/news/4523680/detail.html

Governor Denies Reprieve For Condemned Man
Inmate Wanted Execution Postponement To Explore Liver Donation

POSTED: 7:29 am EST May 24, 2005
UPDATED: 8:07 pm EST May 24, 2005

INDIANAPOLIS -- Gov. Mitch Daniels on Tuesday said he would not grant a reprieve for a convicted murderer who wanted to postpone his execution -- scheduled for early Wednesday -- to see whether he could donate part of his liver to his ailing sister.

Gregory Scott Johnson

Daniels also rejected Gregory Scott Johnson's request for clemency, saying he found no grounds to second-guess years of court rulings or to reject the recommendation of the Indiana Parole Board.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday also denied a stay of execution.

Johnson, 40, is scheduled for execution just after midnight Tuesday for the 1985 killing of an Anderson woman.

Daniels said he accepted the sincerity of Johnson's motiviation for requesting a reprieve. The governor said he might have considered postponing the execution if he believed it would offer a clear medical advantage to Johnson's sister, Debra Otis.

"But ultimately I was not faced with that decision," Daniels said in a press release. "The advice of medical experts, including Debra Otis' own specialist, was definitive that she should not pursue a procedure with Mr. Johnson as donor, but rather will be better served by accepting transplanted organs through the conventional process."

Daniels' decision came after a medical transplant team said Johnson wasn't a medically appropriate organ donor for his sister. The team cited Johnson's large body weight, hepatitis B antibodies, and other hereditary factors, RTV6's Norman Cox reported.

Johnson was convicted of killing Ruby Hutslar, 82. Authorities said he broke into Hutslar's home, beat her, stomped on her and set the house on fire to hide his crime. The state said he confessed to the killing but changed his story after his conviction.

The state attorney general's office says he fully admitted to the murder originally, but changed his story after his conviction. During a hearing before the parole board last week, he denied killing Hutslar but said he was in the house with an accomplice and set the fire.

The parole board had said Johnson was clearly guilty of a brutal murder and should be put to death as scheduled by the Indiana Supreme Court. Some board members scoffed at the reprieve request, with one saying he had shown no compassion when he killed Hutslar, and another saying the media coverage about his request had diverted attention from the brutality of his crime.

Michelle Kraus, Johnson's attorney, had said that her client's blood type matches his sister's. She said that could make his liver compatible with Otis, but more time was needed to explore medical and ethical questions about such a transplant.

Alice Newman, Johnson's mother, said after the parole board hearing that she was hopeful her daughter would receive a new liver from another donor and planned to visit her doctor again within a week. Otis lives in an Anderson nursing home.

Unless Daniels changes his mind, Johnson will become the third person executed since Daniels took office Jan. 10.

Donald Ray Wallace, who was put to death March 10, and Bill Benefiel Jr., who was executed April 21, did not seek clemency through the parole board, but did ask Daniels to grant them clemency. Daniels took no action on those requests.

Johnson would become the 14th person to be executed in Indiana since the state's death penalty was reinstated in 1977.

05-25-2005, 01:06 AM	#20 (permalink)
scout Psycho	The latest news is his request was denied. I heard on the news last night he was positive for Hepatitis B so the liver wouldn't have been suitable. Here's the link and story so you all won't have to register unless you want to. http://www.theindychannel.com/news/4523680/detail.html Governor Denies Reprieve For Condemned Man Inmate Wanted Execution Postponement To Explore Liver Donation POSTED: 7:29 am EST May 24, 2005 UPDATED: 8:07 pm EST May 24, 2005 INDIANAPOLIS -- Gov. Mitch Daniels on Tuesday said he would not grant a reprieve for a convicted murderer who wanted to postpone his execution -- scheduled for early Wednesday -- to see whether he could donate part of his liver to his ailing sister. Gregory Scott Johnson Daniels also rejected Gregory Scott Johnson's request for clemency, saying he found no grounds to second-guess years of court rulings or to reject the recommendation of the Indiana Parole Board. The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday also denied a stay of execution. Johnson, 40, is scheduled for execution just after midnight Tuesday for the 1985 killing of an Anderson woman. Daniels said he accepted the sincerity of Johnson's motiviation for requesting a reprieve. The governor said he might have considered postponing the execution if he believed it would offer a clear medical advantage to Johnson's sister, Debra Otis. "But ultimately I was not faced with that decision," Daniels said in a press release. "The advice of medical experts, including Debra Otis' own specialist, was definitive that she should not pursue a procedure with Mr. Johnson as donor, but rather will be better served by accepting transplanted organs through the conventional process." Daniels' decision came after a medical transplant team said Johnson wasn't a medically appropriate organ donor for his sister. The team cited Johnson's large body weight, hepatitis B antibodies, and other hereditary factors, RTV6's Norman Cox reported. Johnson was convicted of killing Ruby Hutslar, 82. Authorities said he broke into Hutslar's home, beat her, stomped on her and set the house on fire to hide his crime. The state said he confessed to the killing but changed his story after his conviction. The state attorney general's office says he fully admitted to the murder originally, but changed his story after his conviction. During a hearing before the parole board last week, he denied killing Hutslar but said he was in the house with an accomplice and set the fire. The parole board had said Johnson was clearly guilty of a brutal murder and should be put to death as scheduled by the Indiana Supreme Court. Some board members scoffed at the reprieve request, with one saying he had shown no compassion when he killed Hutslar, and another saying the media coverage about his request had diverted attention from the brutality of his crime. Michelle Kraus, Johnson's attorney, had said that her client's blood type matches his sister's. She said that could make his liver compatible with Otis, but more time was needed to explore medical and ethical questions about such a transplant. Alice Newman, Johnson's mother, said after the parole board hearing that she was hopeful her daughter would receive a new liver from another donor and planned to visit her doctor again within a week. Otis lives in an Anderson nursing home. Unless Daniels changes his mind, Johnson will become the third person executed since Daniels took office Jan. 10. Donald Ray Wallace, who was put to death March 10, and Bill Benefiel Jr., who was executed April 21, did not seek clemency through the parole board, but did ask Daniels to grant them clemency. Daniels took no action on those requests. Johnson would become the 14th person to be executed in Indiana since the state's death penalty was reinstated in 1977.