ST. LOUIS — Eighteen convicted killers have been executed in Missouri over the past two years, a pace that is expected to slow significantly with death sentences on the decline and many of the state’s 28 remaining death-row inmates still filing appeals.
Execution appears to be imminent for just one Missouri inmate, Earl Forrest, who has exhausted his appeals. Sixteen others have yet to exhaust their appeals. Others remain in limbo due to a variety of reasons, including two for medical concerns and two inmates ruled mentally incompetent for execution.
Only Texas, with 24, has performed more executions than Missouri since 2013.
Executions across the U.S. were largely on hold for many years due to a de facto moratorium as the Supreme Court grappled with the constitutionality of lethal injection.
At the same time, death sentences have been on the decline for many years. Nationally, the 72 death sentences issued last year were the fewest since 1976, according to Amnesty International. None was issued in Missouri.
