Missouri Governor Mike Parson denied clemency to Brian Dorsey, who is set to be executed for the 2006 murder of his cousin and her husband. Despite pleas for mercy citing Dorsey's rehabilitation and mental state at the time of the murders, Parson stated that carrying out the sentence would deliver justice and provide closure. The decision comes after over 150 signatories, including corrections employees and former jurors, urged Parson to commute the sentence. Dorsey's attorney expressed devastation at the governor's choice, and the execution is scheduled to take place on Tuesday by lethal injection.
Missouri Governor Mike Parson denied a last-minute attempt to stay the execution of Brian Dorsey, who is scheduled to be executed for the 2006 double-murder of his cousin and her husband. Dorsey's legal team and over 70 prison staff members had argued for clemency, citing his rehabilitation and exemplary behavior in prison. However, Parson stated that carrying out Dorsey's sentence would deliver justice and provide closure. Dorsey's attorneys raised concerns about ineffective counsel and argued that his rehabilitation raises questions about the Eighth Amendment's protection from execution.
Missouri Governor Mike Parson has denied clemency for death row inmate Brian Dorsey, who is scheduled to be executed for the 2006 murders of Ben and Sarah Bonnie. Despite support from over 70 current and former prison workers who described Dorsey as a respectful and changed man, Parson stated that carrying out the sentence would deliver justice and provide closure. Dorsey's lawyer has appealed to state and federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, to intervene before the scheduled execution.
Former Kansas City Chiefs assistant Britt Reid, who served 16 months of a three-year sentence for driving while intoxicated and causing a serious accident, had his sentence commuted by Missouri Governor Mike Parson. The decision has sparked outrage, with critics alleging that Reid's connections to the Chiefs and the governor's fandom influenced the decision. The victim, 8-year-old Ariel Young, continues to suffer from the effects of the accident, while questions remain about the team's knowledge of Reid's behavior and the NFL's response to the incident.
Missouri Governor Mike Parson faces criticism for commuting the prison sentence of former Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid, who caused a drunken driving crash that seriously injured a 5-year-old girl. Parson expressed "deepest sympathy" to the girl's family but did not apologize for the decision. Critics argue that the commutation favors the privileged, while the governor's office defends the decision, citing completion of a treatment program and time served. The Chiefs have reached a confidential agreement to cover the girl's medical expenses.
Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker criticized Governor Mike Parson for not contacting her office or Ariel Young's family before commuting the sentence of former Chiefs coach Britt Reid, who was involved in a crash that left Young with a traumatic brain injury. Reid, who had a blood-alcohol level of .113 percent at the time of the crash, will now serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest with strict conditions. The prosecutor accused Parson of using his political power to free a man with status, privilege, and connections, and highlighted that Parson did not pardon other individuals in similar situations.
Missouri Governor Mike Parson has commuted the sentence of former Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid, reducing his three-year prison term for driving while intoxicated in a 2021 crash to house arrest until 2025. Reid's blood-alcohol level was well over the legal limit when he struck two vehicles, injuring two young children, one of whom suffered permanent brain damage. The new sentence also includes probation, behavioral counseling, and community service. Reid, the son of Chiefs coach Andy Reid, had pleaded guilty in 2022 and expressed regret for his actions.
Missouri Governor Mike Parson has commuted the prison sentence for former Kansas City Chiefs coach Britt Reid, who seriously injured a 5-year-old girl in a drunken-driving wreck in February 2021. Reid, son of Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, had been sentenced to three years in prison but will now be under house arrest until October 2025 and must meet additional probation conditions. The crash occurred when Reid was driving over the speed limit and had a blood-alcohol level above the legal limit, resulting in a traumatic brain injury for the young girl and injuries to others.
Missouri Governor Mike Parson commuted the remaining three years of former Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid's prison sentence for a drunken driving crash that seriously injured a 5-year-old girl, converting it to house arrest with conditions including alcohol abuse treatment completion, weekly meetings with a parole officer, and 30 hours of work per week. Reid had been driving while intoxicated at a high speed, causing a traumatic brain injury to the girl and injuring five others. Parson, a Chiefs season ticket-holder, has granted clemency to over 760 people since 2020, including Reid and the St. Louis couple who waved guns at racial injustice protesters.
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas accused Missouri Governor Mike Parson of using a racial "dog whistle" by referring to the suspected shooters at the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl parade as "thugs." Lucas criticized the governor's language, stating that it perpetuates alleged racism. Two minors have been charged in relation to the shooting, which killed one person and injured 22 others.
Governor Mike Parson has appointed Judge Ginger Gooch as a Missouri Supreme Court Judge, filling the vacancy left by Judge Patricia Breckenridge's retirement. This appointment establishes a female majority on the state's highest court for the first time in history. Gooch previously served on the Southern District Court of Appeals and has a background in law and rhetoric. Her swearing-in date has yet to be determined, but Missouri law requires it to be within 30 days of her appointment.
Missouri Governor Mike Parson has vetoed state funding for storm water, flooding, and erosion projects in the Metro area, including $500,000 for Wildwood and $6 million for the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District. Wildwood was seeking funding to address deteriorating infrastructure and erosion issues, while the Sewer District needed funds to tackle flooding problems caused by climate change. The vetoed funding would have been crucial for these projects, and alternative funding options, such as property taxes, are being considered. The affected areas will have to seek funding again next year.
Missouri Governor Mike Parson has vetoed $13 million in funding for the Riverview Gardens School District, despite the state having a surplus of over $5 billion. The district, which serves 5,700 public school children, had planned to use the funds for a major overhaul of its aging buildings. Parson suggested that the district pursue other funding options, such as federal funding, for the project. Local lawmakers are disappointed with the decision and plan to call for an override when lawmakers return in September. The district expressed gratitude for the proposed funding and highlighted the financial challenges it faces due to a lack of corporate development in the area.
Missouri Governor Mike Parson has signed a $51 billion state budget while vetoing over $555 million in line-items, including funding for local community projects and infrastructure improvements in St. Louis. However, money for the widening of Interstate 70 and additional spending on child care and disabled residents remained intact. Parson emphasized the need for strategic investments and responsible spending, suggesting that some earmarks should be handled by local governments. The budget also includes funding for road improvements, education, and public safety initiatives.
Missouri Governor Mike Parson has vetoed $550 million in state spending from the $51.8 billion budget approved by lawmakers, citing the need to maintain the state's strong financial position despite an $8 billion surplus. Parson made 201 vetoes, reducing some lines and eliminating items entirely, with a focus on earmarked spending. While he approved several initiatives, including expanding a plan for widening portions of Interstate 70, Parson also cut funding for road projects and a loan for pollution controls. The governor emphasized spending on transportation and infrastructure, but his veto pen hit some projects not in the Missouri Department of Transportation's plan or identified as regional priorities.
