1990: Samuel K. Doe

On this date in 1990, deposed Liberian strongman Samuel Kanyon Doe was tortured and summarily executed in Monrovia by the putschists that overthrew him … and gruesomely filmed in the process.

Doe had come to power killing his predecessors — personally murdering, some sources say, President William Tolbert in 1980, then executing his chief aides.

That coup toppled civilian authority in the west African country now permanently prefixed with the adjective “troubled.” “The first of the monsters,” the War Nerd called him: Doe’s murderous rule through the 1980’s set up the succession of current war crimes prisoner Charles Taylor.

Samuel Doe’s turn in the obituaries arrived in particularly grisly fashion, with Taylor rival/semi-ally* Prince Johnson swilling beer as he interrogated — and ordered the ear sliced off — the groveling former head of state before having him executed. (Or if you like, just plain murdered.) The video shot of Doe’s ordeal became an international sensation … so it’s a little surprising that only this paltry excerpt seems to be readily available online:

* And current Liberian Senator! He feels just awful about the whole torturing-the-President-to-death thing.

On this day..

21 thoughts on “1990: Samuel K. Doe

  1. After Tolbert was killed and Doe became President and then Doe was killed, who ordered these soilders to kill a President? Where did they get these nice military uniforms and weapons?
    DOE WAS LIBERIA’S ONLY HOPE and AFTER DOE, Liberia has been struggling with disease, death, and the poorest infrastructure. How could the killing of Doe cause all that loss??

  2. it is a whole string of murders, all are the same. murderers…. two wrongs don’t make a right. I thought Liberians were civilized and to even watch the execution of tolberts men AND THAT YOUR MURDEROUS self styled prince ordering the murder of samwel kanyon Doe leaves a lot to be desired.. I am disgusted and hate Liberia with all my heart

  3. There were no winners in the Liberian Civil War. I was there and watched warlord after warlord make promises they never kept. Murder and mayhem was the law of the land and the enrichment and removal of massive quantities of diamonds. A proud country has now developed a huge lower class in poverty. Like the US, the haves enjoy surfing, club life and club beer while the poor squeeze into spaces not meant for living and struggle to get education for their children which is still really limited.

    So what was the war about? Surely someone must ask that question. What did we gain – nothing, what did we lose – the integrity and honesty and the potential to advance Liberia collectively into the 21st Century for all Liberians. That is my opinion. What’s left now is dependency and Ebola almost wiped us out because of limited infrastructures and a very weak health care system.

    There is still hope – if Liberians pull together and help educate the 56% of people who cannot read, and create industry that will hire Liberians or help Liberians start their own businesses. Our country is rich and beautiful so why are we so poor? Maybe it is mental – what else can it be? Let’s grow up and stand up for Liberia together – Don’t let others divide us. Almost 200 years since others came to the shores and declared the place Liberia, well let’s make the most of it and stop hating and killing each other. Corruption is our enemy now. Elections on the way… Let’s elect the right person who cares about all the people inside our borders. What else can I say, except let’s pray and get busy improving on what we do have….

  4. DOE IS THE WORST PRESIDENT LIBERIA EVER HAD.
    He killed President Tolbert and thirteen of Tolbert’s Government Officials for corruptions, and he
    Who was so corrupt, a mass murderer never wanted to be killed, it was good that he was killed.
    During his 1980 rebellion, He and his affiliates hunted light-skin people, failing to realize that some natives are light-skin, not only Americo Liberians. Doe and his people were savage.
    This rebel and is soldiers hunted civilians at night, killed 300 and plus Liberians at the Lutheran Church.
    He formulated lies and eliminated his fellow soldiers of the 1980 rebellion.
    REFERENCE: Joshua Milton Blaye (General Butt Naked), a Kran War Lord that told the story.
    Not that they only killed other tribal people, but also killed some of his Kran people as sacrifice to win war.
    DOE’S 1980 REVOLUTION WAS USELESS TO THE LIBERIAN PEOPLE IN GENERAL, which led to the rebel war led by Charles Taylor.
    WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND.
    IF IT’S POSSIBLE TO KILL A DEAD MAN TWICE, DOE NEEDS TO BE KILLED ONE MORE TIME.

  5. Maceió,02 de agosto de 2015

    Senhores(as)

    Este monstro teve o que merecia.Quem procura,acha,diz o ditado.
    Adriel Batista Correia de Melo

  6. I think doe was bad and evil.but we should not pay evil for evil no matter how.this evil rebels took law into there hand by showing the videos to the entire world. If they want to do it they should let the government decide .Instead of doing what they did.is barbaric and unhampered. Cos they are all bunch of coward.same with prince johnson his going to pay for it big time.only time will tell because he is a murderer and a killer I rest my case.

    • Strangest thing is that these people then voted this “prince” Johnson into political office and he’s now a senator! What does that say for the intelligence of the people?

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  9. The second Liberians can all agree that a responsible government that respects human rights and the rule of law is more important than which ethnic group controls the levers of power is the second that Liberia liberates itself from the cycle of poverty, corruption and violence.

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  11. the only way liberia will be unless they hve a native president like Doe! why surpressing the native liberians?U HVE TO ACCEPTE WHO U R NOT TO PRETEND TO BE CONGO,if the congo beleive they afro american they should found their root and stop surpressing the natives liberians,this stated long ago when the native liberians with figth in bed feet and the congos with figth with shoes ! leave the native alone, DOE was a through born african child and the native liberian and he knew what the congo were doing and surpressing the native by creating so call UBF!in the way of getting raid of the native liberian.THE GIO people don’t know that !

  12. Just another african goon squad…give them the gun ( any gun as long as the opponent doesn’t have one} , and its a licence to murder pillage rape and torture ..anyone and every one. Give them a fight with half a dozen disiplined opponents and an army of a thousand “toughs” suddenly evaporates into the bush..dark glasses et all.It happens all the time.
    Some say Doe got his just deserts (though I think it was his executioner who p[robably ate the ear pudding), I think Doe was sickening..I think the excreta that hacked him to pieces was sickening , and I think the Tolbert person he killed was sickening. They ALL probably l have “frozen” millions stacked up in the sanctimonious west..I wonder who profits from money stacked up and “frozen”in the west? I wonder who sells these goons the guns that makes them so “tough” ?

  13. hi i kno that was good greatest greatest president for liberia we the liberian was happy with preesident doe but them come and kill his i miss my bro so much R.I.P samuel k doe

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  15. Samuel K Doe was the greatest president Liberia ever to be elected to the Republic of Liberia. The love he had for his country was unconditional. Regardless of your ethical tribe. America has portrayed Dr.Doe as a illiterate indigenous animal with no self control and compassion for mankind. The truth may never be revealed in its entirety but at the end of the day Dr.Doe came from the bottom and made it to the top. No one will ever amount to his level of excellence.

    • He was great? What about Tolbert and all the officials from his administration that he had executed without a trial?

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