Missouri carried out its second lethal injection of the year on Tuesday night, executing death row inmate David Hosier at the state prison in Bonne Terre. Hosier, 69, was pronounced dead at 6.11pm after receiving a single-dose injection of the sedative pentobarbital. Hosier had been convicted of the 2009 murders of a couple, Angela and Rodney Gilpin, but he maintained his innocence until the end.
Before his execution, Hosier expressed his innocence in a written statement and reflected on his life, saying goodbye to his family and friends. He had been involved in an affair with Angela Gilpin, who was later found shot to death with her husband near their apartment in Jefferson City. Despite threats made by Hosier prior to the shooting, his lawyers argued that there was a lack of DNA evidence at the crime scene.
Hosier’s clemency petition, which highlighted his traumatic childhood after his father was murdered when he was 16, was rejected by Missouri governor Mike Parson. The petition also mentioned that prosecutors had offered Hosier a plea deal for life in prison without parole at one point. Hosier’s federal public defender criticized the governor’s decision to proceed with the execution, questioning the lack of evidence and Hosier’s background as a veteran and firefighter.
Governor Parson defended his decision, stating that Hosier had shown no remorse for his actions and deserved the maximum punishment under the law. This execution comes after the controversial lethal injection of Brian Dorsey in April, which received support from various individuals, including prison staff, lawmakers, and a judge who had upheld Dorsey’s death sentence.
The death penalty remains a contentious issue in the US, with concerns about fairness and accuracy in its application. Last year, 24 people were executed in the country, with executions carried out in multiple states. A Gallup poll revealed that half of Americans believe the death penalty is unfairly implemented in the US, raising questions about the future of capital punishment in the country.