The state of Missouri carried out the state sanctioned murder of Carman Deck at 6:00PM CST. We mourn for Carman and all who loved him, and for the victims and their family and wish for healing and peace for all.
Carman is now the 92nd person murdered by the state since 1986.
Individuals across the state joined together in Jefferson City, Kansas City, St. Louis, Belton, and Bonne Terre alongside members of MADP, students from Rosati-Kain High School, the Missouri Catholic Conference, Fellowship of Reconciliation, the NAACP of Missouri and more. In Jefferson City, a host of Missouri state representatives joined in calling upon Governor Parson to seek clemency and mercy for Carman.
"We need to stop executing people in Missouri. The system is flawed and we are one of very few states still performing executions." - Missouri State Rep. Jo Doll
"We must abolish the death penalty. Executions are not justice." - Missouri State Rep. Maggie Nurenburg
"The same people who are overjoyed today that the Supreme Court is going to overturn Roe are not up here with us today defending life. Not in my name!" - Missouri State Rep. Richard Brown
In the days leading up to the execution, Sister Helen Prejean implored individuals online to recognize Carman's humanity, she stated, "Missouri plans to execute Carman Deck tomorrow. As with almost every person condemned to death, Carman's life story involves a series of societal failures and personal traumas that culminated in a horrible crime. This execution will only further perpetuate the cycle of violence."
Attorney's for Carman issued a statement following the execution,
"Carman Deck’s execution was unjust and immoral. Carman’s early life was tragic. As a psychologist put it, “He had no childhood.” He endured a pattern of abuse, neglect and abandonment, which was mitigating evidence the Missouri Supreme Court called “substantial.” His mother and stepmother taught Carman to steal, which led to his first imprisonment at age 19. While in prison, he was brutally raped. This experience transformed him from a non-violent thief into the person who committed two terrible murders.
The State of Missouri bungled the judicial process twice, and two juries were corrupted by errors committed by Missouri. Carman’s third and final jury, twelve years after the murders, never heard from any family member or friend about his horrific childhood. By then, all of the witnesses who could have told his jury firsthand about his background were unavailable or unwilling to come to court. His lawyer has stated, “We desperately needed family members to testify on Mr. Deck’s behalf.” Due to the passage of time caused by the State of Missouri, the jury did not hear from a single live witness who knew Carman before the crime.
This botched process simply provides insufficient guardrails to support taking Carman’s life. Life imprisonment without parole would have been a just and adequate punishment for him." - Elizabeth Carlyle, Carlyle Parish LLC
There are currently 18 people living under sentences of death in Missouri. Many of them are at the end of their appeals and many more executions will likely occur in the years to come. We know that executions do not bring back the lives of the victims. It does not deter crime. It is costly on taxpayers. And retraumatizes co-victims.
Some of Carman's last words were "Please give love, show love, and BE LOVE!" We will continue to do just that as we stand with those who face this barbaric and unjust punishment.