Less than one week remains before the scheduled execution of Lance Shockley at 6 pm on October 14, 2025. Shockley was convicted of the murder of Sergeant Carl Dewayne Graham, a Missouri State Trooper. The Missouri Catholic Conference has submitted a letter to the governor requesting that clemency be granted to Shockley and that he receive a sentence of life without parole. The MCC will also be holding a respectful protest outside the governor’s office at noon on the day of the execution, and all are welcome to attend and give witness with the Church in opposition to capital punishment.
The death of Sgt. Graham is tragic and abhorrent, and though his death was a great injustice, it still would also be an injustice if the state carries out a man’s execution in lieu of confining him to life imprisonment. The Catholic Church is strongly opposed to the death penalty because it disregards the sanctity and dignity of human life. If you would like to contact Governor Kehoe regarding Mr. Shockley’s execution, you can reach his office via phone at (573) 751-3222 or email him here.