Missouri executed Lance Shockley on October 14, 2025. His case raised long-standing concerns about fairness, unanswered questions, and the denial of key spiritual-support requests in his final hours.
Concerns About a Fair Trial
Missouri executed Lance Shockley on October 14, 2025, for the 2005 killing of a police officer. The officer had been investigating a fatal 2004 drunk-driving crash involving the fiancé of Shockley’s sister-in-law. The state argued Shockley committed the murder to stop the investigation. However, the defense maintained that police focused only on him and overlooked other possible suspects.
Serious fairness concerns marked the trial. A juror wrote and shared a violent, anti-defendant novel during deliberations. Shockley’s lawyer did not challenge the juror or call witnesses to request a mistrial. The Missouri Supreme Court later described the case as “strongly circumstantial.” No direct evidence linked him to the crime. Shockley consistently said he was innocent. His appeal lawyers requested DNA testing of key evidence, but the courts denied those requests.
Clemency Denied and Final Appeals
On October 13, 2025, Governor Mike Kehoe denied clemency. In his statement, he framed the murder as an attack on both law enforcement and the rule of law. He said Shockley had received full constitutional protections and that carrying out the sentence showed Missouri’s commitment to justice.
In his final appeals, Shockley sought permission for his two daughters—both ordained ministers—to act as his spiritual advisors and for one of them to be present in the death chamber. The state rejected the request. The U.S. District Court and the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld that decision. On October 14, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to review the matter or delay the execution.
The state carried out the lethal-injection execution at the Bonne Terre State Prison at 6:01 p.m. on October 14. Shockley was pronounced dead at 6:13 p.m.
This was Missouri’s first execution of 2025. The state has now carried out 102 of the United States’ 1,644 executions since 1976. Across the country, there have been 37 executions this year—the highest number since 2013—using lethal injection, nitrogen gas, and firing squad in 11 states. Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all cases, without exception.
No further action is requested. Many thanks to all who sent appeals.
