Silently marching into the governor’s office, Missourians advocating for the pardon of Lance Shockley turned in 31,000 signatures asking Gov. Mike Kehoe to pardon the man scheduled for execution next Tuesday.
Shockley is scheduled to die by lethal injection. He was convicted in the 2005 murder of Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Carl Dewayne Graham Jr. of Troop G. Petitioners asked for DNA testing to be done on several pieces of evidence, or for the governor to pardon Shockley.
Gov. Mike Kehoe has not publicly shared his stance on the death penalty. His office did not respond to questions.
Shockley was sentenced to the death penalty by a judge because the jury was in deadlock — Missouri is one of only two states that allows judges that power. Shockley’s death is set to be the 102nd execution in Missouri, and the first of 2025.