'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAcACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABgAAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABhAAAgIDAAMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDBAAFERIhMVEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYRAAEEAgIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIBAwQRBRIAURNywf/aAAwDAQACEQMRAD8AgNRZ1VvVT25NmleSMhVrGCRvIEEgllHOt8H5k027qBiCvD099YxhdiU6/IcA6oRtK9lT5x9mcPDx+MhPs7bulqVqipXjAuuy5//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The upcoming season of Netflix's I AM A Killer will see an interview with Gary Black, a cold-blooded killer. Black was convicted of the 1998 murder of a black man named Jason O. Johnson in Jasper County, Missouri, USA.
Born on July 19, 1950, Gary Black was convicted twice and sentenced to death for stabbing Jason with a knife at a stoplight in 1998. After the murder, Black fled to Oklahoma, where he was arrested.
Jason was severely injured during the attack and died three days after the murder. The stab wound was nearly 4.5 to 6 inches deep and Jason died of blood loss and suffocation after the blood drained into his airway. In the recently dropped trailer for the show, a seemingly unremorseful Gary Black says:
"They don't know what to do with me here. That's right. They don't know what to do with me here. And I don't care."
His statements only hinted at his psychopathic and deranged nature. Gary Black, who is now 72, is serving a life sentence at the Potosi Correctional Center in Mineral Point, Missouri.
Trigger warning: This article contains details of racism and racially-motivated murder. Discretion advised.
5 things to know about the murder of Jason O. Johnson by Gary Black
1) Gary Black detests the black community
After fatally stabbing the 28-year-old college student, Black hopped back into his car. Right before fleeing for Oklahoma, he commented, "One n**ger down," confirming that he hated black people.
As mentioned earlier, Jason was a black man while Gary and his then-girlfriend were both caucasian.
2) Black escaped a possible death penalty with a plea
Jasper County juries had sentenced Black twice for the murder of Jason O. Johnson, but it was overturned on both occasions by the Missouri Supreme Court. A third trial was supposed to begin in July 2010 with a selection of jurors from Cass County.
Black's attorney, William Fleischaker, then approached Jasper County Prosecutor Dean Dankelson with a possible plea agreement. This was granted with the knowledge of the victim's family. Black escaped death row and will spend the rest of his days in prison.
3) Black's girlfriend accused Jason O. Johnson of disrespecting her
Tammy S. Lawson, Black's then-girlfriend, claimed that the victim had tried to "make a move" on her while they were waiting in line at a convenience store. Their footage was recorded on tape and viewed by the jury during the trial.
His girlfriend's complaints about the incident allegedly pushed Black to stab the 28-year-old, which led to the latter's death.
4) Black attempted to represent himself in court
Although Gary Black made several attempts to represent himself at the trial by writing letters to the court, all of his requests were denied.
A couple of days later, he filed a sworn complaint with the Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel regarding his appointed counsel's handling of his case. In the complaint, he alleged that the resulting investigation created a conflict of interest that his counsel failed to report to the court. This too was overruled by the court.
5. Black's weapon's sheath was found in his car
During the investigation, police found an empty knife sheath in Black's car. He didn't dispose it off, making the police think that he was trying to be found.
Based on a statement by Tammy Lawson, an officer found the knife in a grassy area near a cemetery about 20 blocks from the crime scene.
I Am a Killer season 4 will cover details about this gruesome murder and will stream on Netflix on December 21, 2022, at 3 am ET. The show is a must-watch for fans of true crime documentaries.
