Michael Tisius, a 42-year-old man, has been sentenced for a fatal shooting dating back to the summer of 2000. He is now set to be executed fro his crimes.
In a small Missouri prison, Tisius attempted to aid in a fellow inmate’s escape. This ended in the fatal shooting of two jailers, Leon Egley and Jason Acton.
Contrary to the ruling of the original jurors, some now suggest that the life imprisonment might be justifiable. However, Missouri Governor Mike Parson firmly rejects this perspective. He highlighted the victims’ dedication to public service and the atrocity of their murder.
Legal representatives for Tisius approached the U.S. Supreme Court seeking a stay on the execution, citing a claim of juror illiteracy as a violation of Missouri law. An additional appeal argued for leniency based on Tisius’ age at the time of the incident, considering that he was 19 years old at the time. However, this plea was dismissed as the Supreme Court currently only prohibits the execution of people who were below 18 when their crime took place.
Advocates of Tisius have also underscored his troubled upbringing, citing childhood neglect and teenage homelessness as factors that might warrant consideration. The critical incident in question, occurring in June 2000, involved Tisius and inmate Roy Vance when they hatched a plan for Vance’s escape. This plan culminated in the victims’ deaths on the night of June 22nd.
The fatal sequence was initiated by Tisius and Tracie Bulington, Vance’s girlfriend, who entered the jail under the pretext of delivering cigarettes.
The unsuspecting jailers were unaware of the pistol Tisius was carrying, leading to the murder of both men. Tisius attempted to use keys to facilitate Vance’s escape, but his efforts failed.
Following this, both Tisius and Bulington fled the scene, later arrested in Kansas. Currently, Bulington and Vance are both serving life sentences for murder.
Tisius’ defense, however, argues against premeditation. They claim that the original intent was to confine the jailers while facilitating Vance’s escape, a plan they say was created by Vance himself.
The scheduled execution of Tisius marks the twelfth in the U.S this year and the third in Missouri.