Fourteen Days in May tells the true story of the countdown to an execution that took place in Mississippi 31 years ago – watch the full documentary here.
Edward Earl Johnson, a young African-American was put to death in the gas chamber of Mississippi’s state penitentiary on 20 May 1987.
Convicted of the murder of a white police officer, Edward protested his innocence until his death. Clive Stafford Smith (Reprieve’s co-founder) represented Edward on his final appeals and fought to save his life up to the moment of his execution.
Produced and directed by Reprieve’s co-founder Paul Hamann for the BBC, the film crew were given access to the prison warden, guards and chaplain, and to Edward and his family. Paul received the BFI’s Grierson Award for Fourteen Days in May.
Following the release of this documentary, and receiving thousands of letters from the public, Paul and Clive founded Reprieve.
