- Republican Missouri Gov. Mike Parson on Monday denied clemency for death row inmate Brian Dorsey, who is scheduled to be executed on Tuesday.
- Dorsey, 52, was convicted in 2004 of murdering Ben and Sarah Bonney, the latter’s cousin. After Dorsey murdered Sarah Bonney, he sexually assaulted her body.
- “Governor Parson has chosen to ignore the wealth of information that shows Brian Dorsey is worthy of mercy,” Dorsey’s attorney Megan Crane said in a statement. “Brian strives to atone for his crimes every day in his prison, with dozens of correctional officers testifying to his remorse, reform, and dedication to his service.”
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson on Monday denied clemency for Brian Dorsey, the man who murdered his cousin and her husband nearly 20 years ago, before his scheduled execution date.
Dorsey’s attorney, Megan Crane, said in an email that the governor’s decision is “devastating.” The clemency petition included requests from 72 current and former correctional officers to ensure Dorsey’s rehabilitation during his incarceration, as well as support from former Missouri Supreme Court justices and others.
“Governor Parson has chosen to ignore the wealth of information that shows Brian Dorsey is worthy of mercy,” Crane said in a statement. “Brian strives to atone for his crimes every day in his prison, with dozens of correctional officers testifying to his remorse, reform, and dedication to his service.”
Missouri death row inmate may undergo “surgery without anesthesia” if suitable vein cannot be found, lawyer says
Parson has never granted a pardon request as governor. His office did not respond to requests for comment.
The appeal, which focuses on Mr. Dorsey’s good conduct record, is still pending before the U.S. Supreme Court. A separate appeal to the high court argues that his life should be spared because his trial lawyer was paid a flat fee of $12,000 and had no incentive to spend time on his case. are doing. Despite no agreement with prosecutors to avoid the death penalty, Dorsey followed their recommendation and pleaded guilty.
Dorsey, 52, formerly of Jefferson City, was convicted of killing Sarah and Ben Bonney on Dec. 23, 2006, at their home near New Bloomfield. Earlier in the day, Dorsey called Sarah Bonney to borrow money to pay two drug dealers who were in the apartment, prosecutors said.
That night, Dorsey went to Bonnie’s house. After Dorsey went to bed, he took a shotgun from the garage and killed them, prosecutors said, before sexually assaulting Sarah Bonney’s body.
A photo released by the federal public defender’s office shows inmate Brian Dorsey at the Potosi Correctional Center in Washington County, Missouri. Dorsey is scheduled to be executed on Tuesday, April 9, 2024, for the murders of two people in 2006. (Jeremy Weiss, Federal Civil Service, via Associated Press)
The next day, Sarah Bonney’s parents discovered her body. The couple’s 4-year-old daughter was not injured.
Dorsey’s attorney said he was suffering from drug-induced psychosis at the time of the killing. In prison, they said, he got clean.
“The Brian I have known for many years could never hurt anyone,” one officer wrote. “The Brian I know doesn’t deserve to be executed.”
In a letter to Parson as part of his clemency petition, former Missouri Supreme Court Justice Michael Wolff said he was in the courtroom when his appeal against his death sentence was denied in 2009. He now says that ruling was wrong.
“Missouri public defenders currently do not use flat fees for defense, recognizing professional standards that such arrangements present an inherent financial conflict of interest for attorneys,” Wolf wrote.
Meanwhile, the Missouri Department of Corrections is taking steps to reduce the risk that Dorsey will suffer during the execution. The settlement filed Saturday says Dorsey could face significant pain if he is required to undergo a so-called cut-down procedure to find a suitable vein for a lethal injection of pentobarbital. Federal lawsuit ends.
Dorsey is said to be obese, diabetic and a former intravenous drug user, all factors that could make it more difficult for him to find a vein to inject, lawyers said. Stated. The cut-down procedure involves making an incision several inches wide and then using forceps to pull the tissue apart to access the vein.
Missouri’s execution protocols do not include provisions for anesthetics. Dorsey’s lawyers say that without local anesthesia, Dorsey would be in extreme pain, be prevented from meaningful interaction with spiritual advisors, including the performance of his last rites, and be denied religious freedom in his final moments. It was argued that the rights of
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The settlement does not specify the specific changes the state agreed to or whether anesthetics would be used if abatement procedures are needed. A Department of Corrections spokesperson declined to comment Monday.
