Bill > SB465

This bill repeals provisions relating to the death penalty in Missouri, effectively eliminating capital punishment in the state. The bill removes all existing sections of law related to death penalty procedures, execution methods, and sentencing protocols. Instead, it modifies existing criminal statutes to replace death sentences with life imprisonment without the possibility of probation, parole, or release except by act of the governor. For first-degree murder committed by individuals 18 years or older, the punishment will now be mandatory life imprisonment without eligibility for release. The bill also eliminates detailed provisions about execution protocols, witness lists for executions, and the process for reviewing death sentences. Specifically, it removes sections describing how executions would be carried out, the composition of execution teams, and the Supreme Court's mandatory review of death sentences. The changes simplify the sentencing process for first-degree murder, removing the two-stage trial procedure that previously allowed for consideration of the death penalty, and standardizing the punishment to life imprisonment without the possibility of release.

Justice

https://www.senate.mo.gov/25info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&BillID=26974