Jefferson City, Missouri – On Tuesday, David Hosier, a death row inmate, was executed by lethal injection, marking the second execution in Missouri this year and the seventh in the nation. Hosier, 69, was convicted for the 2009 shooting death of his former lover, Angela Gilpin, a married mother of two. The execution took place at the Potosi Correctional Center, located about 70 miles south of St. Louis.
Hosier consistently maintained his innocence, citing a lack of DNA evidence linking him to the crime scene. Despite his protests of innocence, Hosier was pronounced dead at 6:11 p.m. after being administered a 5-gram dose of pentobarbital. Prior to his execution, Hosier’s last meal consisted of steak, a baked potato, Texas toast, apple pie, milk, and orange juice.
Anti-death penalty activists, including the organization Missourians to Abolish the Death Penalty, gathered at the office of Republican Missouri Gov. Michael Parson to petition for clemency for Hosier. However, Governor Parson denied Hosier’s request for clemency, stating that Hosier had shown no remorse for his actions.
In appeals leading up to the execution, Hosier’s legal team argued for his innocence, highlighting the lack of physical evidence linking him to the crime scene. They also raised concerns about the effectiveness of his attorneys during trial and alleged a conflict of interest with the presiding judge.
The execution of David Hosier represents a contentious issue surrounding the death penalty in the United States, with ongoing debates about its ethics and efficacy. Despite efforts to spare Hosier, including a 19-page clemency petition and video produced by the Federal Public Defenders Office, the execution proceeded as scheduled.
As the next execution in the United States is set for June 26 in Texas, and Marcellus “Khaliifah” Williams is scheduled to be executed in Missouri on September 24, the conversation around the death penalty continues to be a polarizing topic with implications for the criminal justice system as a whole.