Missouri is set to proceed with the execution of Brian Dorsey on Tuesday, convicted for the murder of his cousin and her husband in 2006. Despite appeals from prison guards for clemency, Governor Mike Parson has decided to deny it, emphasizing Dorsey’s betrayal of his family’s kindness with acts of violence. Dorsey, aged 51, is scheduled for lethal injection.
Dorsey admitted to the killing of his cousin Sarah Bonnie and her husband Ben Bonnie on the night of December 23, 2006, after they rescued him from drug dealers seeking payment. Court records indicate Dorsey used the couple’s shotgun to kill them while their 4-year-old daughter was present. Prosecutors also accused Dorsey of sexually assaulting his cousin and stealing their belongings to settle drug debts.
Missouri to Execute Inmate Despite Guards’ Pleas to Spare His Life (Credits: News Online)
The bodies were discovered by Sarah Bonnie’s parents after the couple failed to attend a Christmas Eve gathering. Their daughter informed her grandparents that she couldn’t awaken her parents. Dorsey received a death sentence and has spent 17 years in prison. His attorneys sought clemency, citing over 70 corrections officers’ testimony on Dorsey’s remorse and rehabilitation, suggesting he was in a drug-induced psychosis during the killings.
Despite appeals, both in state and federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, Dorsey’s execution warrant issued in December by the Missouri Supreme Court still stands. Governor Parson justified his denial of clemency by stating that Dorsey’s sentence aligns with the law and judicial decisions, emphasizing the irreparable pain caused by Dorsey’s actions.
The governor’s office maintained that Dorsey’s sentence, as determined by multiple juries and courts, reflects the gravity of his crimes. Parson asserted that while the pain inflicted by Dorsey cannot be undone, carrying out the sentence according to legal procedures would provide justice and closure to the victims’ families. Despite assertions of rehabilitation, the decision to proceed with Dorsey’s execution remains firm, in accordance with Missouri law.
