By Errol Castens
Daily Journal
PARCHMAN – Dale Leo Bishop, convicted in 2000 of helping murder one of his friends on Dec. 10, 1998, in Saltillo, wants to live but supports the concept of the death penalty, state officials said.
Bishop was the second man convicted of capital murder in the gruesome death of Marcus Gentry. Jessie Johnson, who used Bishop’s framing hammer to beat Gentry to death, was convicted and sentenced to life without parole. Bishop, who reportedly helped hold Gentry and retrieve him for further beating after the victim had managed to escape his attackers, was convicted and sentenced to death. The underlying felony of kidnapping made the murder a capital offense.
C. Daryl Neely, policy advisor to Gov. Haley Barbour, said this afternoon that Bishop expressed regret about the death, which stemmed from Johnson’s belief that Gentry had “narced” on Johnson’s brother.
“He said Mark Gentry was his friend, and they were supposed to be fighting, but it went too far,” Neely said.
Ironically, Bishop endorses the definition of justice that he’s been assigned.
Neely noted that Bishop “said several times he is pro-death penalty,” even though he hopes it will not be carried out in his case.
Mississippi Commissioner of Corrections Christopher Epps said Bishop had agreed to his death sentence when he was convicted because “he was at a low point in his life.”
“As it started off,” Epps said, “he chose the route it would go.”
In recent years, however, Bishop, who is being treated for manic-depressive disorder, has worked with his attorneys to avoid execution.
“He wants to live,” said Epps, who has consistently supported capital punishment. “At least that’s what he indicated to us.”
Neely said Bishop holds out slim hopes that he will survive the day.
“He is not optimistic but is hopeful that the Supreme Court will intervene,” Neely said. “We are optimistic that an execution will take place tonight and that it will provide justice and closure for the family of the victim.”
Scheduled witnesses for the execution include Neely, a prison chaplain, the inmate’s nephew and ex-wife, his attorneys, the victim’s mother and uncle, Lee County Sheriff Jim Johnson and eight members of the media.
Read more of Errol’s reports here and in the Thursday Daily Journal.
How do you feel about this story? Post a comment below.
Filed under: Djournal.com
