| Death
Penalty: |
YES |
| Prohibit
Execution of the Mentally Retarded: |
NO |
| Life
Without Parole: |
YES |
| Minimum
Age to Eligible for the Death Penalty: |
16 |
| Number
on Death Row: |
75 |
| Executions
Since 1976: |
53 |
| Race
of Defendants: |
44 white (59%), 31 black (41%) |
| Racial
Make-up of State Population: |
84% white, 11% black, 2% Hispanic, 1% Asian |
| Innocents
Exonerated: |
YES (2). Clarence Dexter, Jr. was released in 1999 after serving 8 years on death row. Eric Clemmons was released in 2000 after serving 13 years on death row. |
| Columbia
University Study Rate of Error in Capital Cases: |
32% |
| Murder
Rate: |
7.3 per 100,000 (ranked 17th out of 51) |
| Governor: |
Bob Holden, (Democrat),
|
| |
 |
| Presidential
Vote: |
50% Bush, 47% Gore, 2% Nader |
| Public
Opinion on the Death Penalty: |
To follow. |
| Organizations
Endorsing a Moratorium: |
Alliance for Democracy, St. Louis Chapter
Almost Home
Americans for Democratic Action, Missouri Chapter
Anti-Racist Action–Kirksville
Benedictine Monastery of Perpetual Adoration
Cathedral Basilica Parish
Cordis House
Diocese of Jefferson City, Social Concerns Office
Discipleship Christian Life Community
Eastern Missouri Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty
The Faith Community of Catholic Worker House
Franciscan Sisters of Mary, Leadership Team
Immaculate Conception Parish
Interfaith Partnership of Metropolitan St. Louis
J.F.Kennedy Catholic High School Community
Kirksville Christians in Action
Mid-Missouri Peaceworkers
Mid-Missouri Fellowship of Reconciliation
Missourians Against State Killing
Missouri Association for Social Welfare
Missouri Catholic Conference, Public Policy Committee
Missouri Prisoners Labor Union
Pastors for Peace, Kansas City
Pax Christi St. Louis
Religious Society of Friends, St. Louis Monthly Meeting
Sisters of Divine Providence, Bridgeton
Sisters of Divine Providence, St. Louis
Sisters of St. Francis, Savannah
Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, St. Louis Province
Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, Congregational Leadership Team
Sisters of the Precious Blood of O'Fallon, MO
School Sisters of Notre Dame, Provincial Council
St. Louis Ethical Society, Ethical Action Committee
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
United Methodist Church, Missouri East Annual Conference
United Methodist Church, Missouri West Annual Conference
Ursulines of the Roman Union, Central Province, Provincial Council
Western Missouri Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty
Woman's Place |
| Organizations
Working FOR a Moratorium: |
ACLU of Eastern Missouri
4557 Laclede Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63108
Denise Lieberman-contact
314-361-2111-(day)
www.aclu-em.org
acluem@aclu-em.org
ACLU of Kansas and Western Missouri
3601 Main Street
Kansas City, MO 64111
Dick Kurtenbach-contact
816-756-3113--(day)
aclu@kswno.org
www.aclukswmo.org/
Amnesty International State Death Penalty Abolition Coordinator
Kelly Korenak-contact
314-645-2860-(phone)
korenakk@hotmail.com
Amnesty International State Death Penalty Abolition Coordinator
Brad Sheppard-contact
573-254-3993-(eve)
kukpard@ktis.net
Criminal Justice Ministry*
1408 South 10th Street
St. Louis, MO 63104
Carleen Reck-contact
314-241-8062--(day)
314-241-1307--(fax)
CJM99@earthlink.net
www.welcome.TO/CJMSTLOUIS
Eastern Missouri Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty*
1408 South 10th Street
St. Louis, MO 63104
Margaret Phillips-contact
314-516-6864--(day)
314-725-7527-(eve)
mphillips@igc.org--e-mail
Bill Colbert-contact
314-361-5668-(day)
williamccolbert@juno.com
Mid-Missouri Fellowship of Reconciliation*
P.O. Box 268
Columbia, MO 65205
Jeff Stack-contact
573-449-4585-(day)
jstack@coinorg
http://members.tripod.com/midmo_for
Missouri Coalition Against the Death Penalty
P.O. Box 1022
Jefferson City, MO 65102
Rita Linhardt-contact
573-635-7239-(day)
573-635-7431-(fax)
Public Interest Litigation Clinic*
305 E. 63rd St.
Kansas City, MO 64113
Sean O'Brien/Kent Gipson-contacts
816-363-2795-(day)
816-363-2799-(fax)
sobrien@pilc.net
Western Missouri Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty
P.O. Box 45302
Kansas City, MO 64171
816-756-0911-(office)
816-931-1101-(fax)
Kathleen Kennedy-contact
wmcadp@juno.com
www.qni.com/~billw/death/wmcadp.html
Rep. Chris Liese (D) |
| Organizations
Working AGAINST a Moratorium: |
State Department of Corrections' Victims Group
Sheriffs |
| Clemency: |
The Governor is required by statute to get a non-binding recommendation from the Missouri Board of Probation and Parole before granting or denying clemency in death penalty cases. |
| Who
Decides Sentence: |
Jury, but a judge decides if the jury is deadlocked. |
| Method
of Execution: |
Missouri authorizes the use of both lethal injection and lethal gas. It is unclear who decides the method (Deno, Deborah W., "Getting to Death: Are Executions Constitutional?", Iowa Law Review, 1997). |
