Joseph Mitchell Parsons
Joseph Mitchell Parsons | |
---|---|
Executed | |
Conviction(s) | Capital murder |
Criminal penalty | Death |
Joseph Mitchell "Yogi" Parsons (July 22, 1964 – October 15, 1999) was an American who was executed for the August 1987 murder of Richard Lynn Ernest. Parsons hitched a ride with Ernest in California and stabbed him to death at a remote rest area in Utah. After assuming Ernest's identity, Parsons continued to insist that he was Ernest when he was later arrested.[1]
Parsons, who called himself the "Rainbow Warrior",[2] pleaded guilty to the murder.[3] During his sentencing hearing, Parsons said that he killed Ernest to fend off a homosexual advance, but was unable to present any evidence to support this claim in his defense. The jury sentenced him to death. In 1999, Parsons stated that "it's time to move on" and dropped his appeals, allowing his execution to proceed.[4] Discussion was later raised whether "Rainbow Warrior" was a reference to homosexuality or Parsons' favorite NASCAR Driver, Jeff Gordon.[5]
Parsons chose to die by lethal injection,[6] and he shunned attention, describing himself as "Utah's forgotten inmate".[7] His 1999 execution at Utah State Prison was the first to be carried out in a new chamber designed for both lethal injections and firing squads.[8]
Background
Joseph Mitchell Parsons was born on July 22, 1964, to Joseph Michael and Marie Parsons in
After a year in Florida, Parsons was caught stealing cash from an apartment management office. He ended up with three
Imprisonment in Nevada
On the night of October 16 to 17, 1982, Parsons met David Wood in Las Vegas and they took a cab to the
Death of Richard Ernest
On August 30, 1987, Parsons was
At about 5 a.m., Parsons stopped at a
On September 1, 1987, Ernest's body was discovered underneath a sleeping bag dumped on the east side of Interstate 15,[1] about a mile north of the rest area where he had been killed. He had been stabbed nine times, including in the heart and throat.[16]
Trial and sentencing
During a court hearing for the murder, Parsons said, "Why are we doing this? I did it and everyone knows I did it."[16] He pleaded guilty to motor vehicle theft, aggravated robbery and first-degree murder on September 18, 1987.[3] Parsons' sentence was decided by a jury. Parsons said that he was defending himself with a four-inch knife when Ernest grabbed his leg and thought that Ernest's multiple wounds were "superficial." Parsons was unable to present evidence to corroborate his claim of a sexual advance by Ernest.[17] Ernest's family and friends stated in court that Ernest was not gay or bisexual.[12] Prosecution witnesses testified of Parsons' homosexual activity in jail.[15] According to forensic psychiatrist David Tomb from the University of Utah, the descriptions of Parsons' sexual history indicated that he "may have been the one initiating the contact and became angry when [Ernest] turned him down."[9] A medical examiner testified that Ernest appeared to have been stabbed while sleeping and was unable to defend himself.[17] On February 18, 1988,[18] a jury of six men and six women sentenced Parsons to death.[4] He was sent to Utah State Prison.[6]
Appeals
Parsons filed an appeal disputing the constitutionality of his first-degree murder conviction with the
I'm not putting up or down what people did to get in here. But in a nutshell, no human contact is a form of torture.
Joseph Mitchell Parsons, 1998[22]
On July 6, 1999, Parsons abandoned a federal appeal of his sentence to the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, stating that he preferred execution than waiting for years on death row.[18][23] He complained that he was bored in prison, which he called "torture, plain and simple."[17] The last visit Parsons had received was two hours with his mother in 1996.[9] On August 16, 1999, District Judge Philip Eves signed a death warrant and scheduled Parsons' execution for October 15.[24]
Execution
Parsons submitted a last request to walk under the stars, play basketball,
On the evening before his execution, Parsons watched The Mummy and was visited in his death watch cell by his brother and his cousin. They shared his last meal of Burger King hamburgers, French fries, milkshakes, root beer, and chocolate chip ice cream.[27] Parsons's attorney said he believed his client chose this meal because the Burger King slogan "Have it your way" was a reflection of him taking control of his life.[5] After playing a game of Uno, he asked for the score of the 1999 American League Championship Series game. Parsons was permitted to call his mother Marie Gordon Rivera in Florida and his sister.[25][27][28]
Parsons would become the first inmate to be executed in a new chamber that was built in 1998 at Utah State Prison for use in either firing squads or lethal injections.[8] Two people, whose identities were withheld, were selected to administer individual injections, of which only one was lethal so that neither would know with certainty who executed the prisoner. The prison selected among paramedics or nurses because the American Medical Association prohibits licensed physicians from participating in executions.[29] A mild sedative was delivered intravenously to calm Parsons before the deadly drugs were administered.[30]
At 12:10 a.m. on October 15, 1999, Parsons was executed by lethal injection. Seven minutes later, a physician checked Parsons' stopped heartbeat with a stethoscope and pronounced him dead at 12:18 a.m.[27][31] Parsons' last words were: "Love to my family and friends. And Woody, the rainbow warrior rules. Thank you."[31]
Parsons had mentioned to attorney Greg Sanders a hatred of homosexuals, and after the execution, prison spokesperson Jack Ford said that "
Public reaction
Although Parsons requested that no one protest his death,
Unlike the previous execution of John Albert Taylor in 1996 (or Ronnie Lee Gardner that would follow in 2010),[7][35] Parsons' execution attracted little media attention, with representatives from only 12 news organizations.[36] Spokesperson Jack Ford called the level of interest virtually "nonexistent". Deputy attorney general Reed Richards presumed that the media apathy was a result of Parsons' choice of lethal injection, which was more broadly adopted in the United States than execution by firing squad, which was unique to Utah. Parsons' court-appointed attorney Greg Sanders said that his client called himself "Utah's forgotten inmate".[7] Ernest's widow Beverley, who attended the execution,[28] said that she was grateful for the lack of media scrutiny.[7] Ernest's brother-in-law Jonathan Woods stated, "The world is less for having lost Richard. I hope, for Parsons' sake, the world will be less for having lost him, but that is not how I feel."[37]
See also
- Capital punishment in Utah
- Capital punishment in the United States
- Gay panic defense
- List of people executed in Utah
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Bryson, Amy Joi (1999-09-06). "'87 murderer left a bloody trail in southern Utah". Deseret News. pp. 1–4. Archived from the original on 2019-04-25. Retrieved 2010-10-05.
- ^ "Executed in Utah". The Washington Times. 1999-10-16. Archived from the original on 2012-11-05. Retrieved 2010-10-05. (registration required)
- ^ a b c d e Howe, Richard C. (1990-01-22). "State of Utah v. Joseph Mitchell Parsons". Utah Supreme Court. Retrieved 2010-10-23.
- ^ a b c Bryson, Amy Joi (1999-10-10). "Parsons' time running out". Deseret News. Archived from the original on 2024-01-20. Retrieved 2010-10-23.
- ^ a b c d Gehrke, Robert (1999-10-17). "Parsons' final sentence referred to racer, not gays". Deseret News. Archived from the original on 2018-09-26. Retrieved 2010-10-05.
- ^ a b c d e "Killer Receives April Execution Date". Deseret News. 1990-03-07. Retrieved 2010-10-05.
- ^ a b c d Bryson, Amy Joi (1999-10-11). "Execution nets little attention". Deseret News. pp. 1–2. Archived from the original on 2018-09-25. Retrieved 2010-10-05.
- ^ a b c Adams, Andrew (2010-06-10). "Firing squad executions: A look back and a look ahead". KSL-TV. Retrieved 2010-10-05.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Burton, Greg (1999-10-10). "Scheduled Execution Brings an End to Sad Tale of Two Lives". The Salt Lake Tribune. p. A1. Retrieved 2010-10-26. (subscription required)
- ^ "Nevada Offender Tracking Information System #17976: Joseph Parsons". Nevada Department of Corrections. Retrieved November 3, 2010. [dead link]
- ^ a b c Bryson, Amy Joi (1999-10-14). "Outing with Parsons a nightmare for Oklahoman". Deseret News. pp. 1–3. Retrieved 2010-10-05.
- ^ a b Burton, Greg (1999-10-16). "Killer Saw Death's Delay as 'Torture'". The Salt Lake Tribune. p. D1. Retrieved 2010-10-26. (subscription required)
- ^ Bryson, Amy Joi (1999-10-14). "Bartender recalls cowing pair". Deseret News. Retrieved 2010-10-23.
- ^ DelPorto, Brett (1988-05-23). "Death Row Backlog Strains Legal Staff". Deseret News. p. 3. Retrieved 2010-10-05.
- ^ a b Burton, Greg (1999-10-15). "Parsons Gets Wish: Execution". The Salt Lake Tribune. p. A1. Retrieved 2010-10-26. (subscription required)
- ^ a b c Bryson, Amy Joi (1999-10-14). "Case obsessed a young prosecutor". Deseret News. pp. 1–2. Retrieved 2010-10-23.
- ^ a b c DeVoy, Beverly (1999-10-15). "Killer hated being bored". Deseret News. pp. 1–2. Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2010-10-05.
- ^ a b Rayburn, Jim (1999-10-14). "Appealing is years-long process". Deseret News. Archived from the original on 2018-09-25. Retrieved 2010-10-23.
- ^ a b DelPorto, Brett (1989-10-17). "Justices Say Slayer Will Stay On Death Row". Deseret News. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2010-10-05.
- ^ Carter, Mike (1992-05-17). "Lawyers who defend Utah 'killers' say respect for law motivates them". Deseret News. Associated Press. pp. 1–2. Retrieved 2010-10-26.
- ^ "Utah's top court rejects murderer's petition". Deseret News. Associated Press. 1994-01-13. Archived from the original on 2018-09-27. Retrieved 2010-10-26.
- ^ Burton, Greg (1999-10-14). "Execution Better Than Life of 'Torture' on Death Row for Parsons". The Salt Lake Tribune. p. A1. Retrieved 2010-10-26. (subscription required)
- ^ Rayburn, Jim (1999-07-07). "Inmate prefers execution to years of appeals Killer may have request granted by end of year". Deseret News. pp. 1–2. Retrieved 2010-10-05.
- ^ Rayburn, Jim; Bryson, Amy Joi (1999-08-17). "Death-row inmate to be executed Oct. 15". Deseret News. Archived from the original on 2018-09-25. Retrieved 2010-10-05.
- ^ a b Burton, Greg (1999-08-28). "Slayer Gives Warden His Last Requests". The Salt Lake Tribune. p. D1. Retrieved 2010-10-23. (subscription required)
- ^ "Last requests". Deseret News. 1999-10-14. Retrieved 2010-10-26.
- ^ a b c "A look at last 8 hours before the execution". Deseret News. 1999-10-15. pp. 1–2. Retrieved 2010-10-05.
- ^ The Daily Universe. Brigham Young University. Archived from the originalon 2011-07-19. Retrieved 2010-10-27.
- ^ Bryson, Amy Joi (1999-08-31). "2 picked to inject, execute Parsons". Deseret News. pp. 1–2. Archived from the original on 2024-01-20. Retrieved 2010-10-05.
- ^ Welsh-Huggins, Andrew (2006-11-03). "States use drugs to calm condemned before execution". USA Today. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 2012-04-21. Retrieved 2010-10-28.
- ^ a b c Bryson, Amy Joi (1999-10-15). "Parsons gets his death wish He takes a final dig at his victim before execution". Deseret News. Archived from the original on 2024-01-20. Retrieved 2010-10-05.
- ^ "A look at Utah's most infamous executions". KSL-TV. 2010-06-13. Retrieved 2010-10-27.
- ^ "The ACLU of Utah and the First Unitarian Church to Host a Candlelight Vigil in Protest of the Execution of Joseph Mitchell Parsons". American Civil Liberties Union of Utah. 1999-10-06. Archived from the original on 2010-12-04. Retrieved 2010-10-05.
- ^ Jensen, Derek; Snyder, Brady (1999-10-15). "Quiet sadness and opposition surrounded Parsons' execution". Deseret News. pp. 1–2. Retrieved 2010-10-05.
- ^ Manson, Pamela (2010-04-05). "Killer to get info on execution means". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved 2010-10-05.
- ^ Smith, Josh (2010-06-17). "Journalists from around globe descend on Ronnie Lee Gardner execution". Deseret News. Retrieved 2010-10-05.
- ^ Bryson, Amy Joi (1999-10-14). "Death wish Execution comes 12 years after murder at rest stop". Deseret News. pp. 1–3. Retrieved 2011-12-05.
External links
- Complete text of Parsons' final letter at Deseret News
- Joseph Mitchell Parsons v. M. Eldon Barnes, warden – Utah Supreme Court (April 18, 1994)
- Joseph Mitchell Parsons v. Hank Galetka, warden – Utah Supreme Court (July 15, 1999)
- Joseph Mitchell Parsons v. Hank Galetka, warden – Utah Supreme Court (July 29, 1999)
- Joseph Parsons at KSL-TV
Preceded by John Albert Taylor |
Executions in Utah since 1976 | Succeeded by Ronnie Lee Gardner |