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Dec. 15 (UPI) — A transgender lady in Missouri sentenced to be executed on Jan. 3, is asking the state’s governor for clemency, citing psychological well being struggles.
Legal professionals on Monday appealed to Gov. Mike Parson, R-Mo., to commute the dying sentence for Amber McLaughlin.
The jury that convicted McLaughlin, 49, by no means heard about her psychological well being state or abusive childhood.
If executed, McLaughlin would turn out to be the primary overtly transgender lady recognized to be executed in america.
McLaughlin, who glided by the title Scott on the time, was convicted of killing her 45-year-old ex-girlfriend Beverly Guenther on Nov. 20, 2003.
A jury convicted McLaughlin of first-degree homicide. McLaughlin was additionally charged with raping Guenther earlier than stabbing her and disposing of her physique close to the banks of the Mississippi River, in South St. Louis, Mo.
Parson has declined to grant clemency to the 5 males executed since he turned governor in June 2018.
A District Courtroom Choose vacated the dying sentence in 2016, ruling a jury didn’t correctly weigh aggravating components, and {that a} jury, not a choose, must be the one to weigh these components.
The jury was deadlocked in the course of the penalty section of the trial, leaving the choice as much as the trial choose.
The eighth U.S. Courtroom of Appeals disagreed in 2021 and reinstated the dying sentence.
“Folks ought to know I am mentally unwell,” McLaughlin mentioned in a short interview with the St. Louis Publish-Dispatch.
“I do not agree with it. I am making an attempt to remain calm.”
An utility for government clemency was submitted Monday to Parson’s workplace, detailing McLaughlin’s life rising up. That life included an abusive childhood, mind injury and fetal alcohol syndrome as effectively melancholy as a baby and suicide makes an attempt as an grownup.
The submitting argues that the jury was by no means made conscious of these aggravating components.
Another Stanford transfer has found a new home. Early in December, punter Connor Weselman was one of the handful of Stanford players who put their name in the transfer portal ahead of next year. And now it looks like Weselman has found his next destination for 2025, opting to sign with the Missouri Tigers for his final season of eligibility.
With Aidan Flintoft serving as Stanford’s primary punter, Weselman primarily served as the holder in 2024, not punting one time. In 2023, Weselman appeared in all 12 games as the primary holder, but served as a punter in eight of the team’s games, totaling 22 punts for 928 yards while averaging 42.2 yards per punt.
He also had seven punts of 50 yards or more (with a long of 59) while pinning three punts inside the 20. In 2021 and 2022, he did not compete, making only one appearance as a holder as a true freshman in 2021.
Weselman brings a powerful leg and is expected to compete immediately for the starting job at Mizzou, with 2024 starter Luke Bauer leaving and backup Orion Phillips transferring to Utah. With both guys gone, Weselman found a spot where he has a legitimate shot of getting meaningful playing time.
For Stanford, special teams was a major strength in an otherwise tough season, with kicker Emmet Kenney establishing himself as one of the best kickers in the nation and being a big reason why Stanford was able to pull off upset wins over both Syracuse and Louisville this year.
However, in the case of the Tigers, getting reinforcements on special teams has been a big focus, as in addition to both of last year’s punters leaving, the program saw inconsistencies at kicker with freshman starter Blake Craig struggling to find a rhythm this year.
Weselman coming in is the first step in revitalizing a unit that could be a major difference maker in making sure the team wins those close games.
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The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a total of 9 arrests in north Missouri between December 23, 2024, and December 26, 2024. Arrests were made for various offenses, including drug possession, driving while intoxicated, and outstanding warrants.
It is important to note that, while all the individuals listed below have been reported as arrested, they may not have been physically transported to jail. Depending on the circumstances, an individual may be issued a summons, which includes a court date. When the Missouri State Highway Patrol issues a summons with a court date, it is considered an arrest, even if the individual is not physically taken to jail.
Paul D. Palmer, 59, of Grant City, Missouri, was arrested on December 23, 2024, at 3:33 p.m. in Nodaway County. Palmer was charged as a fugitive from out of state. He was held at the Andrew County Jail without bond.
Thomas L. Miller, 38, of Downing, Missouri, was arrested in Adair County on December 23, 2024, at 9:57 a.m.. Miller faced charges of felony possession of a controlled substance—methamphetamine—and driving with no valid plates. He was held at the Adair County Jail under a 24-hour hold.
Yoniker Griman-Solorzano, 19, of Chicago, Illinois, was arrested on December 23, 2024, at 10:20 p.m. in Linn County. He was charged with speeding and operating a vehicle without a valid license. Griman-Solorzano was held briefly at the Brookfield Police Department before being released.
Kiefer A. Yadon, 33, of Novinger, Missouri, was arrested on December 24, 2024, at 9:57 p.m. in Adair County. Yadon was charged with driving while intoxicated (DWI) and driving while intoxicated with a person under 17 years of age in the vehicle. He was released after being processed at the Adair County Sheriff’s Department.
Johnathan M. Rumsower, 24, of Cameron, Missouri, was arrested on December 25, 2024, at 3:32 p.m. in Mercer County. Rumsower faced charges of misdemeanor DWI due to drug intoxication and misdemeanor resisting arrest. He was held at the Harrison County Law Enforcement Center under a 24-hour hold.
Kelsey J. Michael, 22, of Mercer, Missouri, was arrested on December 25, 2024, at 3:48 p.m. in Mercer County. Michael faced several charges, including misdemeanor resisting arrest, misdemeanor assault on law enforcement, misdemeanor unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, and felony possession of fentanyl. She was held at the Harrison County Law Enforcement Center under a 24-hour hold.
Douglas D. Kelley, 53, of Ashland, Nebraska, was arrested on December 25, 2024, at 8:09 p.m. in Andrew County. Kelley was charged with felony aggravated driving while intoxicated, driving without a valid operator’s license, and speeding. He was held at the Andrew County Sheriff’s Department under a 24-hour hold.
Domenic R. Guilford, 27, of Brookfield, Missouri, was arrested in Linn County on December 26, 2024, at 12:05 p.m.. Guilford faced charges of DWI-alcohol, failure to wear a seatbelt and illegal window tint. He was processed at the Brookfield Police Department and released.
Brian A. Davis, 43, of Hannibal, Missouri, was arrested on December 26, 2024, at 12:28 p.m. in Ralls County. Davis was charged with felony DWI, felony driving while revoked, failure to maintain the right half of the roadway resulting in an accident, and failure to wear a seatbelt. He was transported to Hannibal Regional Hospital and later released.
Sheldon R. Tasco, 38, of La Grange, Missouri, was arrested on December 26, 2024, at 2:36 p.m. in Lewis County. Tasco faced multiple charges, including warrants for non-moving traffic violations, failure to register a vehicle, and no insurance. He was held at the Lewis County Jail and was bondable.
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The Missouri State Highway Patrol says three people died during the Christmas holiday travel period, which ended just before midnight on Wednesday.
All three deaths were from one crash that happened Christmas Eve in St. Francois County. A 28-year-old woman and two boys, ages six and four, died after the car they were in left the road and struck a tree east of Farmington. The Highway Patrol no longer releases the identities of traffic victims.
During this year’s shorter 30-hour holiday period, state troopers investigated 65 traffic crashes and made 17 arrests for driving while intoxicated. Three people died during last year’s Christmas enforcement period, which lasted 78 hours because it fell on a weekend.
Meanwhile, a 37-year-old man from southwest Missouri is dead following a fatal DWI crash in the town of Fidelity east of Joplin. It happened Tuesday afternoon before the start of the Christmas travel holiday period.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol said a 43-year-old woman from Oklahoma was attempting to pass another car and hit the male driver head-on and killed him. The woman suffered serious injuries and was taken to a local hospital but was also arrested and charged with felony DWI death of another. A third person crashed while trying to avoid the wreck but was not injured.
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