Michael Tisius execution proceeds in Missouri despite jurors' call for clemency
Bonne Terre, Missouri - Missouri Governor Mike Parson said Monday that he would not intervene in the scheduled execution of Michael Tisius, despite the unusual calls for clemency from some of the jurors who were involved in his trial.
Tisius (42) died by lethal injection on Tuesday at 6:10 PM in ERDCC Prison in Bonne Terre, Missouri.
Michael Tisius was sentenced to death for the brutal murders of Jason Acton and Leon Eagly in Randolph County in 2000. At the time of the murders, Michael was 19 years old.
Monday, Governor Parson said in a statement that he would not intervene: "Missouri’s judicial system provided Mr. Tisius with due process and fair proceedings for his brutal murders of two Randolph County jail guards."
"The State of Missouri will carry out Mr. Tisius’s sentences according to the court’s order and deliver justice."
The governor's decision comes after several jurors sent sworn affidavits as part of a call for clemency.
Several Jurors support clemency for Michael Tisius
Last month, Parson received a petition from six jurors, saying they would support or not object to the sentence being commuted to life in prison.
Despite not doubting Tisius' guilt, they highlighted his childhood of neglect and abuse, mental impairments, and good behavior in prison.
Legal experts pointed out it is exceptionally rare to see so many jurors taking a formal stand on a death penalty case.
Adding to the controversial decision to go ahead with the execution, one juror's eligibility was called into question when he told legal representatives for Tisius that he could not read in English, which is a requirement in Missouri courts for jury service.
Tisius's legal team asked for a stay while the claim of illiteracy was investigated, but an appeals court overruled that decision last Friday.
Multiple groups, including the Missourians to Abolish the Death Penalty (MADP), intend to hold vigils outside the prison and around the state of Missouri Tuesday evening during the execution.
Cover photo: Collage: Jacob Moscovitch / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP & Screenshot/Missouri Department of Corrections