The Rev. Darryl Gray has seen Missouri鈥檚 death penalty firsthand. A senior pastor at Greater Fairfax Missionary Baptist Church in St. Louis, Gray served as spiritual adviser to Kevin Johnson and comforted the condemned man on the day of Johnson鈥檚 execution, Nov. 29.
鈥淚've been a member of the clergy for 40 years. And I'm not naive: I do understand that there are people, particularly incarcerated, who find faith, and they find it for convenience, more than conviction,鈥� Gray said Wednesday on St. Louis on the Air. 鈥淚 wanted to make sure that this was not one of those situations.鈥�
But Johnson convinced Gray he was serious. The two began meeting in the months leading up to the execution date. They bonded over what Gray called Johnson鈥檚 鈥渇ractured faith.鈥�
鈥淜evin and I talked about dignity,鈥� he continued. 鈥淥ne of the things he said to me, before he died, he said, 鈥業'm going to see my brother鈥欌�� that acknowledgement confirmed to me that he had reconciled his life. And that he was convinced that death was not going to be the end.鈥�
The death of Johnson鈥檚 12-year-old brother, Joseph 鈥淏am Bam鈥� Long, took place on July 5, 2005, just hours before Johnson murdered Kirkwood police sergeant William McEntee. Johnson, Gray says, blamed himself not just for the murder of McEntee, but for indirectly causing his little brother鈥檚 seizure
Johnson was 19 years old at the time of the killing. He was 37 on the day of his death.
Gray first discussed his meetings with Johnson with St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporter Erin Heffernan, between the pastor and condemned inmate.
On Wednesday, Gray said that it was important for him to explain the story of Johnson鈥檚 faith 鈥� and, he added, why it is different from the story of his crime.
鈥淎s a faith leader, I believe in second chances. I believe in redemption, I believe in salvation,鈥� Gray said. 鈥淚 also wanted people to see that we were talking about two different people. And so I thought that it was important for people to understand that no matter where we start, what matters is where we end. And I wanted people to know about Kevin's ending.鈥�
To hear more from Gray, including his reaction to , listen to the full St. Louis on the Air conversation on , , , , or by clicking the play button below.
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