Missouri death row inmate nears execution with appeals before Supreme Court

By JIM SALTER
Associated Press

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The fate of a Missouri man convicted of killing his cousin and her husband nearly two decades ago appears to rest with the U.S. Supreme Court, with just hours to go before the scheduled execution. Brian Dorsey is scheduled to die by injection Tuesday night. Gov. Mike Parson on Monday turned down a clemency request. Two Supreme Court appeals are pending. One, focuses on Dorsey’s record of good behavior. The other says his life should be spared because his trial lawyers were paid a $12,000 flat fee that provided them with no incentive to invest time in his case. On their recommendation, Dorsey pleaded guilty despite having no agreement with prosecutors that he would be spared the death penalty.