Death Row Advocacy: Missouri
Missouri has one of the most active death chambers in the United States.
From 1810 to 1965 the state executed 285 people. Since 1976 there have been 88 executions. The last execution was in 2017, for a prisoner who was 18 at the time of his crime. Missouri has executed several people for crimes they committed as teenagers. (The youngest was Frederick Lashley. He was put to death for a crime he committed as a 17-year-old.)
Kansas City and St. Louis are two of the most dangerous cities in the country (by violent crime rate). In 2015, with a population of just under 6 million, there were 502 murders in the state. For comparison: the country of Canada, with a population of 36 million, had 604 murders in 2015.
The current death row population is 24 prisoners.
For more information about the death penalty in Missouri visit Missourians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty at http://www.madpmo.org/
This summer Governor Greitens stayed the execution of Marcellus Williams and appointed a special board to examine evidence in the case. Calls were heard from around the world to stop Williams’ execution after his DNA did not match the crime scene murder weapon. The governor said, “A sentence of death is the ultimate permanent punishment. To carry out the death penalty, the people of Missouri must have confidence in the judgement of guilt.”
So far Missouri has sentenced 4 people to death who were later freed and found to be innocent.
Let Governor Eric Greitens know how you feel about Missouri’s use of capital punishment.
https://governor.mo.gov/get-involved/contact-the-governors-office
Office of Governor Eric Greitens
P.O. Box 720
Jefferson City, MO 65102
https://www.facebook.com/EricGreitens/
