#ClemencyForChris

Chris Collings is scheduled to be executed at 6:00 p.m. on December 3rd at the Eastern Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center (ERDCC) in Bonne Terre, Missouri. His execution would mark yet another in a series of state-sanctioned killings this year—Missouri has already executed three people in 2024. These executions continue to undermine our justice system and reflect a practice that is increasingly seen as morally indefensible.

Governor Parson, we respectfully request that you commute the death sentence of Chris Collings to life in prison without the possibility of parole. While we recognize the profound tragedy of the loss of Rowan Ford in 2007, we believe that executing Chris Collings will not heal the pain or remedy this tremendous loss. Taking another life will not restore what has been taken, nor will it bring the peace and closure that true justice seeks to provide. Instead, it perpetuates a cycle of violence without addressing the systemic problems that have led us to this point.

The death penalty is deeply flawed for many reasons. 

• Countless studies have shown that the death penalty does not deter crime more effectively than other punishments. In fact, states without the death penalty often have lower homicide rates than states that continue to carry out executions.
• The death penalty is applied disproportionately to marginalized communities. People of color, those with mental illnesses, and individuals from impoverished backgrounds are far more likely to be sentenced to death. These biases within the system reflect deep-seated inequities that cannot be ignored. 

In Mr. Collings’s case, we must also consider the legal failures that tainted his trial:

In Mr. Collings’s case, several significant legal failures cast doubt on the fairness of his trial and death sentence. The State violated Mr. Collings’s right to due process under Brady v. Maryland by withholding critical evidence. The Chief of Police who obtained incriminating statements from Mr. Collings had four criminal convictions, yet this information was never disclosed to the defense. This omission seriously undermined the integrity of the investigation and should have led to sentencing relief for Mr. Collings. Furthermore, the Chief of Police falsely testified that Mr. Collings had signed a waiver of rights before his confession, even though much of the evidence contradicts the details in that confession. Notably, a cadaver dog detected evidence on the co-defendant’s car, not on Mr. Collings’s.

The case is further complicated by the fact that Mr. Collings’s co-defendant, David Spears, who was Rowan Ford’s stepfather, had already confessed to her murder before Mr. Collings did. Spears even led the county coroner to the location of the body. Despite this, Spears was tried only after the State had secured a death sentence for Mr. Collings. Spears ultimately received a plea deal and an 11-year sentence for child endangerment. This stark sentencing disparity — where Mr. Collings faces execution while Spears, who confessed first and was convicted of lesser charges, is now on public payroll — underscores the need for judicial review in this case. Allowing the execution of Mr. Collings to proceed would only compound the existing injustices.

Beyond the legal and moral arguments, we must also recognize that Chris Collings is not defined solely by his worst actions. He is a beloved father, son, uncle, and friend, and he has forged meaningful relationships during his time at Potosi Correctional Center. Those who know him attest to his capacity for growth, reflection, and human connection. Within the prison community, Chris has become a source of support and kindness to others, demonstrating that even in the darkest places, people can change.

We do not seek to minimize the tragedy of Rowan Ford’s death. Her loss is felt deeply, and our hearts go out to her family and loved ones. However, executing Chris Collings will not bring her back. It will not bring the healing or justice that society hopes to achieve. Instead, it will perpetuate a broken system that devalues human life and fails to recognize the possibility of redemption.

We are not asking for Chris Collings to be set free. We are asking for mercy. We urge you, Governor Parson, to commute his death sentence to life in prison without the possibility of parole. In doing so, you can spare him from an irreversible punishment that was obtained in violation of his rights and stand on the side of justice, fairness, and humanity.

Please sign and share this petition today and tell Governor Parson, his decision in this matter has the power to reflect the best of what we stand for as a society: the capacity for mercy, the recognition of our system’s fallibility, and the belief that every life has value.