ST. LOUIS, Mo. — With just five weeks until his scheduled execution, supporters of Missouri death row prisoner Lance Shockley are urging Gov. Mike Kehoe to grant clemency. Advocates say Shockley has become a leader in rehabilitation programs inside Potosi Correctional Center, where he has spent the past 16 years, and that his execution would contradict the state’s stated commitment to rehabilitation.
“Lance Shockley has become a leader in programs that reflect the Department of Corrections’ own mission: preparing people to make positive changes in their lives and contribute to safer communities,” said Mandi Schenley, a member of Shockley’s legal team. “He has dedicated nearly two decades to helping others inside prison walls. To execute him now would completely contradict Missouri’s professed values of rehabilitation and transformation.”
According to a press release by Amplify PR, Shockley serves as president of the prison’s rehabilitation organization, mentors peers through addiction and trauma recovery, leads worship services, and supports incarcerated people with special needs. Supporters argue that these contributions make him a living example of the Missouri Department of Corrections’ principles of rehabilitation, safety, and respect. They contend that the state’s plans to execute him are deeply inconsistent with its mission.
Shockley has been placed in isolation since receiving his execution date, cutting him off from the very programs he helped build. Dr. Herb Conley, chaplain at Potosi from 2006 to 2014, said, “During my years as chaplain at Potosi Correctional Center, I saw firsthand the profound capacity for growth and service among men like Lance Shockley. What is most heartbreaking is that after years of teaching, mentoring, and guiding others, Lance has now been cut off from the very work that gave his life meaning simply because an execution date was set.”
If Kehoe grants clemency, Shockley’s sentence would be commuted to life without parole, allowing him to continue his work inside the prison. “Again, granting clemency doesn’t free Lance,” Schenley said. “It allows him to continue the work he’s been doing for years, which includes helping others change their lives for the better. If Missouri truly believes in second chances and the power of rehabilitation, then Lance’s life should be spared.”
Supporters are urging Missourians to sign a clemency petition at I Stand With Lance, contact the governor’s office, and raise awareness through faith communities and civic groups. The press release concluded that executing Shockley would not only take a life but also undermine public trust in Missouri’s commitment to rehabilitation.
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