Act Now to Save

Lance Shockley’s Life

A man could lose his life at the hands of the state of Missouri despite a case built only on circumstantial evidence and a death sentence imposed by a judge after the jury could not agree.

Your actions can make a difference in Lance Shockley’s fight for clemency. We need you to take action for him. In addition to signing the petition to Governor Kehoe asking for clemency, there are several other ways you can help save Lance’s life: send a personal note, make phone calls, and spread the word: share Lance’s story on social media.

Your actions can make a difference in Lance Shockley’s fight for clemency. We need you to take action for him. In addition to signing the petition to Governor Kehoe asking for clemency, there are several other ways you can help save Lance’s life: send a personal note, make phone calls, and spread the word: share Lance’s story on social media.

Send a personal note to your Representative(s) & Governor Kehoe.

If you live in Missouri, we need you! Contact your representatives and ask them to urge the governor to do the right thing and grant Lance Shockley clemency. You can find contact information for your Missouri State Senator here. Unsure of who your senator is? Use your address to find the senator for your district. Remember your representatives in the House too. You can find each of your representative’s contact information here. Here’s a sample email for you to copy & paste, or to help you get started.

Subject: Please Urge Governor Kehoe to Grant Clemency for Lance Shockley

Dear [Representative/Senator Last Name],

I am writing to you as a concerned constituent to urge you to call on Governor Mike Kehoe to grant clemency to Lance Shockley, who is scheduled to be executed on October 14, 2025.

Mr. Shockley’s case raises serious concerns about fairness and due process. His conviction rests entirely on circumstantial evidence; there is no DNA, no eyewitness testimony, and no murder weapon directly linking him to the crime. Further, his death sentence was imposed by judicial override loophole after the jury could not reach a unanimous verdict for death, a practice that undermines the role of jurors and raises deep constitutional and moral questions.

Missouri should not carry out an irreversible punishment where such significant doubts remain. Granting clemency in this case would not only spare a human life but also affirm our state’s commitment to justice, integrity, and fairness in capital cases.

Mr. Shockley’s legal team has also asked the courts to test fifteen pieces of unexamined evidence, including shotgun wadding. While clemency is the only just and permanent remedy in this case, at the very least Governor Kehoe should grant a stay of execution to allow time for this testing to proceed. Carrying out an execution before this evidence is reviewed risks the irreversible tragedy of executing an innocent man.

I respectfully ask that you use your influence to urge Governor Kehoe to halt this execution and grant clemency to Lance Shockley.

Thank you for your time and your service to the people of Missouri.

Sincerely,
[Your Full Name]
[Your Address]
[Your Contact Information]

Write to Governor Kehoe

Use any of the information above or write something from your heart in a handwritten letter/card to Governor Kehoe at:

Office of Governor Mike Kehoe
P.O. Box 720
Jefferson City, MO 65102

Make a Phone Call in Support of Lance.

Make a call to the Governor, or to your representatives and let them know you want them to take action on behalf of Lance Shockley. Here’s a script to help you get started.

Sample Short Phone Script

Hello, my name is [Your Name], and I live in [City/County]. I am calling to urge Governor Kehoe to grant clemency to Lance Shockley, who is scheduled for execution on October 14.

His conviction is only circumstantial; no DNA, no eyewitnesses, and no murder weapon. Even the jury could not agree on death. At the very least, please grant a stay so untested evidence can be reviewed before an irreversible mistake is made.

Thank you.

Sample Longer Phone Script

Hello, my name is [Your Name], and I live in [City/County]. I am calling to urge Governor Kehoe to grant clemency to Lance Shockley, who is scheduled to be executed on October 14.

Mr. Shockley’s case raises serious concerns about fairness and due process. His conviction rests only on circumstantial evidence; there is no DNA, no eyewitness testimony, and no murder weapon. Even the jury could not agree on a death sentence, and it was imposed only through judicial override.

The only just remedy is clemency. At the very least, I ask that you grant a stay of execution to allow time for the courts to review briefs requesting the testing of fifteen pieces of unexamined evidence, including shotgun wadding. Executing someone without testing this evidence risks the irreversible tragedy of killing an innocent person.

Governor Kehoe, please stop this execution and grant clemency to Lance Shockley. Thank you.

Contact Information:

Governor Mike Kehoe’s Office: (573) 751-3222

Governor Kehoe’s Social Media: @GovMikeKehoe on X, @GovKehoe on Facebook, @GovKehoe on Instagram.

Find your representative.

Share on Your Favorite Social Media Platform(s)

Core Hashtags to always include:

#IStandWithLance
#StopTheExecution
#ClemencyNow

Suggestions for Twitter/X

  1. Lance Shockley faces execution on Oct. 14 in Missouri. His conviction rests only on circumstantial evidence, no DNA, no eyewitness, no murder weapon. Demand justice: urge Gov. Kehoe to grant clemency. #ClemencyForLance

  2. The jury couldn’t agree on a death sentence for Lance Shockley. A judge imposed it anyway through judicial override. Missouri should not execute a man under these circumstances. Call on Gov. Kehoe to grant clemency. #StopTheExecution

  3. 15 pieces of evidence in Lance Shockley’s case remain untested, including shotgun wadding. Before Missouri carries out an irreversible execution on Oct. 14, this evidence must be reviewed. Urge Gov. Kehoe to grant clemency or a stay.

  4. On Oct. 14, Missouri plans to execute Lance Shockley, despite no DNA, no eyewitnesses, and no murder weapon tying him to the crime. His jury could not agree on death, but a judge overrode them. Now, 15 pieces of evidence remain untested. This is not justice. Call Gov. Kehoe today and demand clemency for Lance. Lives, and the integrity of our justice system, are at stake.

  5. Missouri should not carry out an irreversible punishment where so many doubts remain.
    Lance Shockley’s execution is set for Oct. 14. Demand clemency: contact Gov. Kehoe today. #JusticeNotExecution

  6. 🚨 Execution Alert: Oct. 14
    - Case built only on circumstantial evidence
    - No DNA, no eyewitness, no murder weapon
    - Jury couldn’t agree on death, the judge imposed it
    - 15 pieces of evidence not tested for DNA
    - Urge Gov. Kehoe: #ClemencyForLance

  7. How flawed was Lance Shockley’s trial?
    A juror handed out his own vigilante novel to fellow jurors.
    The jury couldn’t agree on death.
    Through a Missouri loophole, a judge overrode them and imposed execution.
    Missouri justice is broken. #ClemencyForLance

  8. The investigation into Sgt. Graham’s death was flawed from the start:
    - Police ignored 132 leads pointing to 60+ other suspects.
    - Witnesses pressured to change their stories.
    - Focus narrowed only on Lance Shockley.
    - This isn’t justice. #IStandWithLance

  9. In 2009, Lance Shockley was sentenced to death. In 2025, he still fights for his life.
    16 years of appeals filled with doubts about fairness and adequate representation. Missouri must not ignore these failures. #ClemencyForLance

  10. Integrity matters. From juror misconduct to untested evidence, Lance Shockley’s case raises deep concerns. Executing him without addressing these failures is not justice. #StopTheExecution #IStandWithLance

  11. Lance Shockley has raised two daughters from death row.
    Morgan is a former teacher, now a missionary.
    Summer is an ordained minister & softball coach.
    Even in prison, Lance has been a father of faith and guidance. #IStandWithLance

  12. No physical evidence tied him to the crime. But behind bars, Lance has built a life of service:
    President, Restorative Justice Initiative
    Mentor & Bible study leader
    Founder, Shoe Ministry
    This is who Missouri plans to execute. #StopTheExecution

  13. Correctional staff say Lance Shockley has kept officers and inmates safer through his peer support role. He de-escalates crises. He counsels others in turmoil. Even in solitary confinement, he serves. #IStandWithLance

  14. Lance Shockley’s “servant’s heart”:
    Repairs & gives shoes to indigent inmates
    Collects toiletries for new arrivals
    Welcomes them into community & faith
    He gives everything away, never for credit.
    This is the man Missouri wants to kill. #ClemencyNow

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Great for Facebook or Instagram Posts

  1. Lance Shockley sits on Missouri’s death row, convicted of killing Sgt. Carl Graham. From the beginning, Lance has said he is innocent. His 2009 conviction and every appeal since have been clouded by questions: Was the trial fair? Did his lawyers protect his rights?

    The system has had 16 years to answer those questions. It hasn’t. Missouri must not allow this execution to move forward under a shadow of doubt. #IStandWithLance #ClemencyNow

  2. Timeline of injustice:
    Convicted March 23, 2009
    Sentenced to death May 22, 2009
    MO Supreme Court denied appeal Aug 18, 2013
    U.S. Supreme Court denied review Feb 24, 2014
    Post-conviction petition denied July 10, 2017
    Affirmed April 16, 2019
    DNA Testing denied July 11, 2025

    After years of unanswered questions, Missouri wants to carry out an execution. But doubt remains. Justice must come before death. #StopTheExecution #IStandWithLance

  3. Investigation Failures: A Problematic Investigation

    The victim was a police officer. The emotional weight may have biased investigators.

    Out of 500 leads, 132 pointed to 60+ other suspects with motive & opportunity. Police ignored them.

    Witnesses were pressured to change their stories.

    Instead of following the evidence, investigators fixated only on Lance Shockley. This isn’t justice, it’s tunnel vision.

  4. Inadequacies in Legal Representation

    Shockley lost his public defenders just months before trial…consistency gone.

    His private lawyer never ran an investigation or hired experts.

    No mitigation specialist. Jurors never learned who Lance was before sentencing him.

    The defense failed to challenge flawed forensic evidence.

    The defense declined the Court’s offer to question jurors about misconduct.

    No one deserves to face death without a fair fight.

  5. No Physical Evidence

    There is no direct evidence tying Lance Shockley to the crime scene.
    ❌ No blood.
    ❌ No fingerprints.
    ❌ No DNA.
    ❌ No eyewitnesses.
    ❌ No murder weapon.

    Instead, prosecutors leaned on junk science: “tool-mark identification,” a method many scientists reject as unreliable. Even the state’s own firearms examiner recanted his testimony.

  6. Juror Misconduct & Sentencing Problems

    One juror literally handed out his vigilante justice novel to the jury.

    The penalty jury deadlocked on death.

    In Missouri, instead of life in prison, the judge decides.

    The judge sentenced Lance to die.

    Missouri is one of only TWO states that allow this. This isn’t the will of the people, it’s judicial overreach.

  7. Behind bars since 2005, in county jail until 2009 and Potosi since his conviction in 2009, Lance Shockley has still been a father first.

    His daughter Summer coaches softball at Missouri S&T & is ordained as a minister.

    His daughter Morgan left teaching to serve as a full-time missionary after a mission trip to Asia.

    Both daughters say their father guided them in faith and purpose, even from death row. #IStandWithLance #StopTheExecution

  8. Lance Shockley is more than an inmate number. From inside the Potosi Correctional Center , he is:

    - President of the Restorative Justice Initiative

    - A peer supporter, calming crises & protecting lives

    - Founder of the Shoe Ministry, repairing shoes & providing necessities for those in need

    - Mentor & Bible study leader, walking with men facing execution

    - Lance has been called to pray over fellow inmates in their last moments. He is never without his Bible.

    Missouri wants to execute this man of service. #ClemencyNow #IStandWithLance

  9. The Shoe Ministry started with Lance hand-stitching worn shoes to give to indigent inmates. It grew into a network of donated toiletries, blankets, and coffee for those with nothing. He never puts his name on it. He never takes credit. They say Lance has a “servant’s heart.”

    Is this the man Missouri should execute? #StopTheExecution

Share Lance’s Story on Social Media

Awareness fuels change. We hope that as you learn about Lance Shockley you’re moved to take action. Change only happens when people speak up, and your voice matters. Be loud. Tell everyone you know that Missouri plans to execute Lance despite the deep doubts surrounding his case. He deserves clemency. Help build a groundswell of support for Lance by sharing these social media posts on your platform of choice.