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Missouri Man Faces Execution for Killing State Trooper

A Missouri man, Lance Shockley, is facing execution for the 2005 murder of a state trooper. This execution is scheduled for Tuesday at the Bonne Terre prison in Missouri. Shockley, 48, is set to receive a lethal injection after 6 p.m. local time.

Key Details of the Case

  • Victim: Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Carl Dewayne Graham Jr.
  • Date of Incident: March 2005
  • Location: Van Buren, southeast Missouri

Prosecutors claim Shockley waited for hours outside the trooper’s home before shooting him with a rifle and shotgun as he exited his patrol vehicle. Shockley is linked to the murder through circumstantial evidence, and his attorneys have argued for DNA testing on evidence from the scene.

Legal Proceedings

Shockley’s legal team has appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, contending that his First Amendment rights are being infringed. They argue that Missouri’s Department of Corrections is prohibiting Shockley’s daughter from acting as his spiritual advisor during the execution. In March 2022, the Supreme Court ruled that states must allow spiritual advisers in the death chamber.

Missouri officials maintain that security policies prevent family contact during executions. Governor Mike Kehoe denied Shockley’s clemency request, emphasizing the state’s commitment to supporting law enforcement.

Previous Rulings and DNA Testing

Last week, the Missouri Supreme Court also denied a stay of execution while a lower appeals court considers Shockley’s request for DNA testing. His attorneys assert that this evidence, which has never been tested, could potentially exonerate him. They stated that even a slight chance of exoneration justifies the need for further testing.

Authorities indicated that Shockley shot Graham because the trooper was investigating him for involuntary manslaughter from an earlier incident where Shockley’s friend died. Shockley allegedly borrowed a car linked to the crime, and ballistics matched the ammunition to firearms he owned.

Claims of Innocence

Shockley’s attorneys argue that the prosecution’s case is largely circumstantial. They highlighted discrepancies in the ballistics expert testimonies and noted that other witnesses claimed he was miles away during the shooting. The execution, if carried out, would mark the first in Missouri this year. The last execution was in December when Christopher Collings was executed for heinous crimes against a minor.

If both executions occur, this will contribute to a total of 37 death sentences executed across the United States in 2023.

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