COLUMBIA – Missourians to Abolish the Death Penalty (MADP) gathered Tuesday in an effort to fight for clemency for a prisoner on death row in Missouri.
MADP’s Columbia chapter hosted a meeting Tuesday night at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Columbia, calling for mercy in the case of Michael Tisius.
Tisius, 42, is scheduled to be executed on June 6, according to the Missouri Supreme Court. He was found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder in 2010 after he shot and killed two Randolph County corrections officers in 2000.
Michael Tisius
According to previous KOMU 8 reporting, Tisius’ actions were part of an attempt to break out an inmate. Although Tisius submitted a death row appeal in 2017, the Missouri Supreme Court turned it down.
Elyse Max, co-director at MADP, said in most states outside of Missouri, those who committed a crime when they were a teenager are not eligible for execution. According to Max, Tisius was 19 at the time he committed the killings.
“If he [Tisius] would’ve been on the Illinois side of the state line, he wouldn’t be facing execution today, he’d probably be facing life without parole,” Max said.
Additionally, Max said Tisius hasn’t had a violent infraction in a decade and asserted he’s not a threat to anyone and has provided comfort to others in prison. Specifically, Tisius has done so through his art.
“One thing Michael’s done inside is paint a lot of murals and bring joy to a lot of people,” Max said.
MADP featured Tisius’ art at the event, as well as on his petition, which the group has been circulating for about 90 days. Max said she believes this is a beautiful way to share his story.
The group also hosted a protest for Tisius outside the Missouri State Capitol on Tuesday afternoon. At the gathering, protestors delivered petitions to Gov. Mike Parson and asked him to grant Tisius clemency.
According to the Death Penalty Information Center, there have been 11 executions in the United States so far this year. Two of these have occurred in Missouri. Additionally, MADP said 15 people are currently living under death sentences in the state.