USA: Samuel Smithers (Florida) and Lance Shockley (Missouri) executed within an hour

Two death sentences were carried out within an hour of each other in two different US states – in Florida it was Samuel Smithers and in Missouri it was Lance Shockley.

Samuel Smithers (Florida)

On Tuesday evening, 72-year-old Samuel Lee Smithers was executed by lethal injection in the US state of Florida. He was sentenced to death for allegedly murdering two women he had met on different days in May 1996 and paid for sex. Both women had been severely beaten, strangled and left to die in a pond.

The organization “Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty” (FADP) points out in its statement that Smithers had a long history of head injuries and brain damage and was significantly impaired at the time of the crime.

Above all, however, FADP explains that the father of one of the two victims had already made a strong plea at Smithers’ trial in 1999 to refrain from a death sentence. He did not want his child’s name to be used to justify another killing.

He had stated that executing Smithers would be “the worst and most brutal kind of closure” – one that would make him feel sick and ashamed every time he thought of his daughter.

“Florida politicians insist that killing people and so-called justice somehow brings peace – that this relentless killing spree honors the victims and heals the families. It doesn’t. It never did. It was a lie when it was told thirty years ago in this very case, and it remains a lie tonight,” FADP said in its statement.

It was the 14th execution in Florida this year. Governor Ron DeSantis currently signs a new execution order every two weeks for execution within four weeks – two more dates have already been set.

Lance Shockley (Missouri)

One hour later, also on Tuesday evening, 48-year-old Lance Shockley was executed by lethal injection in the US state of Missouri. He is alleged to have shot and killed a sergeant of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the state’s highway patrol, in March 2005.

Shockley has maintained his innocence for years. His attorneys were unsuccessful in their efforts to persuade state appeals courts to stay the execution to allow DNA testing of evidence found at the crime scene. His attorneys argued that much of that evidence had never been examined and could have helped exonerate Shockley.

They also petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court for a stay, arguing that Shockley’s rights were violated because the Missouri Department of Justice had prohibited his daughter from serving as his counselor during the execution.

One of Shockley’s attorneys said prosecutors presented no direct evidence linking him to the murder. “The state’s case was limited to circumstantial evidence. The murder weapons were never found. There were disagreements between the ballistics experts retained by the prosecution.”

Shockley’s attorney also said witnesses saw him about 23 kilometers from the victim’s home at a time when prosecutors said he was waiting for him there.

In a written closing statement, Shockley said, “You have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.” He had a final visit from his daughters and a friend that morning.

Sources:
https://apnews.com/article/florida-execution-samuel-lee-smithers-cf17079bd1228ab58f7ee61de81924a0
https://www.fadp.org/statement-on-the-execution-of-samuel-sammy-lee-smithers/
https://www.timminstoday.com/world-news/missouri-man-executed-for-the-fatal-shooting-of-a-state-trooper-in-2005-11347723