Trust. Humanity relies on it, for better or worse. We wake up each day trusting that there are people out there that care about our well-being, our safety, our success. We as a society build our foundation upon such a complex ideal in that when we are fighting the good fight and the odds are stacked against us, we should be able to rely on the civility of the law. For some still, this is not the case. It is despicable for those we rely on the most, the people who have vowed to uphold justice, to place more value on the size of their bank account and the plus marks on their score cards than they do on human life.

When I was approached by Carrie Christensen to help put this website together, I had no idea who Lonnie Earl Johnson was, nor did I have any strong feelings either way about the death penalty or our legal system as a whole. I agreed to try my hand at web building for experience’s sake, and because I have much experience with editing, so I knew I could be of some use. Over the course of the last few months, I have become all too familiar with the intricacies and sensitivities of Mr. Johnson’s case, and my friends I implore you to take this case, and the thousands of other unjust cases out there, with the utmost earnestness. There is a difference to be made, and the ability rests in our hands. It is our duty to ourselves and to each other to stand for what is right and good and not to falter in the face of perceptible defeat, but to find strength in the prospect of change. Lonnie Earl Johnson died at the hands of greed and indolence, and now is our chance to act against these crimes against humanity.

With hope,

Leah Cornelius