09 April 2024 , 23:39
602
0
Brian Dorsey, 52, was executed by lethal injection Tuesday night at the state prison in Bonne Terre, Missouri.
The US Supreme Court declined his appeals, and Governor Mike Parson rejected a clemency request on Monday. Dorsey, formerly of Jefferson City, was convicted of killing his cousin Sarah and her husband Ben Bonnie on Dec. 23, 2006, at their home near New Bloomfield. Abraham Bonowitz, executive director of Death Penalty Action, told The Mirror ahead of the execution: "Clemency is supposed to be about whether a person is worthy of mercy, not a retrial of the facts of the case.
Brian Dorsey is so trusted that he is the prison barber, using sharp instruments on corrections workers, but it seems Governor Parson just doesn't care. Parson would deny clemency even to Jesus." The execution proceeded despite appeals focusing on Dorsey's behaviour in prison and conflicts of interest with his trial lawyers.
READ MORE: Death row killer Brian Dorsey's huge final meal contained mound of fried food hours before execution
Brian Dorsey shot Sarah and Benjamin Bonnie dead in their bed while staying with the couple, before stealing their belongings and attempting to sell them (FindAGrave)Concerns were also raised about Missouri's execution protocol, particularly regarding Dorsey's health conditions, which could have made the lethal injection process challenging.
First transgender death row inmate's final words as state defies appeals
Dorsey's attorneys described him as obese, diabetic, and a former intravenous drug user, factors that could complicate finding a suitable vein for the injection. In some cases, when veins are difficult to access, a 'cutdown' procedure is necessary, involving an incision and the use of forceps to pull tissue away to reveal an interior vein.
A federal lawsuit argued that without local anesthetics, Dorsey would experience extreme pain during the procedure, impeding his right to religious freedom by preventing meaningful interaction with his spiritual adviser, including the administration of last rites. A settlement was reached to address these concerns, although specific changes to the protocol, including the availability of anesthetics, were not disclosed.
For all the latest news, politics, sports, and showbiz from the USA, go to The Mirror US
Prosecutors stated that Dorsey had called Sarah Bonnie on the day of her murder, asking for money to pay off drug dealers. (Missouri Department of Corrections)
Brian Dorsey's final written statement (Missouri Department of Corrections)Prosecutors stated that Dorsey had called Sarah Bonnie on the day of her murder, asking for money to pay off drug dealers. That night, he went to their home, took a shotgun from the garage, and killed both of them before sexually assaulting Sarah Bonnie's body. Dorsey then stole items from the home and attempted to pay a drug debt with some of the stolen goods.
The couple's 4-year-old daughter was found unharmed by her grandparents the next day. Dorsey surrendered to police three days after the killings. His attorneys argued that he suffered from drug-induced psychosis at the time of the crime but had since rehabilitated while in prison.
Dorsey's execution marks the first in Missouri for the year 2024, following four executions in 2023. David Hosier is scheduled for execution on June 11 for a separate murder case in 2009. Nationally, four executions have occurred in 2024, one each in Alabama, Texas, Georgia, and Oklahoma.