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U.S. Supreme Court declines to hear Missouri death row case

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12 months ago

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U.S. Supreme Court declines to hear Missouri death row case


By Jonah McKeown

St. Louis, Mo., Dec 2, 2024 / 18:15 pm

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear a Missouri death row prisoner’s appeal on the eve of his execution date, while lawyers for the condemned man argue that he was a frequent victim of physical and sexual abuse in his youth and suffered judgment-impairing brain injuries as a result.

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The prisoner, Christopher Collings, was convicted and sentenced to death for the 2007 abduction, rape, torture, and murder of a 9-year-old girl, Rowan Ford.

Police said Collings confessed to killing Ford after raping her in rural Stella, Missouri, in the far southwest corner of the state. Collings allegedly burned the evidence of his crime, including the rope used to strangle the child, and dumped her body in a sinkhole.

The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Collings’ case in a brief Dec. 2 order. Barring an intervention by the Missouri Supreme Court or Republican Gov. Mike Parson — who has never granted clemency during his governorship — Collings will be executed Tuesday by lethal injection. 

Collings’ clemency petition filed with Parson states that Collings’ brain is “multiply injured” and “structurally abnormal,” which causes him to suffer from “functional deficits in awareness, judgment and deliberation, comportment, appropriate social inhibition, and emotional regulation.” It also relates in detail the frequent and often violent physical and sexual abuse that Collings allegedly experienced as a child.

The Missouri Catholic Conference, which advocates policy on behalf of the state’s bishops, had urged Catholics to contact the governor to express their opposition to Collings’ execution. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, reflecting an update promulgated by Pope Francis in 2018, describes the death penalty as “inadmissible” and an “attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person” (No. 2267).

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“The death and other circumstances of Rowan’s murder are tragic and abhorrent, and though her death was a great injustice, it still would also be an injustice if the state carries out a man’s execution in lieu of confining him to life imprisonment,” the Missouri bishops said in a statement last month. 

“The Catholic Church is strongly opposed to the death penalty because it disregards the sanctity and dignity of human life,” they said.

The bishops said that citizens can reach out to the governor’s office to express opposition to the pending execution.

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey had in April announced that his office had requested that the Missouri Supreme Court set an execution date for Collings, claiming “no court has ever found any legal errors” with his conviction.

In contrast to the petition sent to Parson, the petition to the U.S. Supreme Court sent on Collings’ behalf did not mention the alleged abuse Collings endured, nor his brain development, but focused mainly on procedural issues.

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Collings’ confession, which became a key piece of evidence at his trial, allegedly took place during an unrecorded conversation with now-deceased Wheaton Police Chief Clinton Clark. David Spears, the stepfather of Ford, the victim, also admitted to playing a primary role in the crime, though he was ultimately only charged with lesser offenses and eventually released from prison in 2015.

Jonah McKeown

Jonah McKeown is a staff writer and podcast producer for Catholic News Agency. He holds a Master’s Degree from the University of Missouri School of Journalism and has worked as a writer, as a producer for public radio, and as a videographer. He is based in St. Louis.

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Missouri

Missouri judge loses job over too many Elvis references

Published

11 hours ago

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November 21, 2025

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Missouri judge loses job over too many Elvis references


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Missouri

bet365 Missouri bonus code NYPBET: Pre-register and grab $365 bonus value for Chiefs playoff push

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1 day ago

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November 20, 2025

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bet365 Missouri bonus code NYPBET: Pre-register and grab 5 bonus value for Chiefs playoff push


Missouri sports betting won’t go live until Dec. 1, but users can pre-register at bet365 Sportsbook starting on Monday, Nov. 17.

And good news, if you do pre-register, you can use bet365 promo code NYPBET to get $365 in bonus bets after you bet $5.

Missourians can apply the promo code to bet on any sport, including futures bets on the Kansas City Chiefs as they head down the stretch.

Pre-register in Missouri with bet365 bonus code NYPBET

Missouri sports betting app newcomers can use the bet365 promo code NYPBET at registration to access the launch offer when betting goes live on Dec. 1. 

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Local bettors won’t have to wait long for a marquee matchup, with the Chiefs hosting the Texans on “Sunday Night Football” on Dec. 7 at Arrowhead.

To redeem the promotion, new bet365 customers must be physically located within Missouri at the time they sign up.

  1. Select your bonus offer: Bet $5, get $365 in bonus bets, win or lose!
  2. Choose your state.
  3. Hit the “Join Now” button.
  4. Fill out your login details.
  5. When prompted, enter the promo code NYPBET
  6. Choose your preferred welcome offer.
  7. Make a minimum deposit of $10.

What our Post expert thinks about Chiefs futures

Kansas City’s reign over the AFC West is slipping, with a 5-5 start and a three-game gap behind Denver signaling how far the Chiefs have drifted from their decade of dominance. 

Their problems aren’t tied to one glaring flaw; instead, they’ve slid into the middle of the pack across key areas like run defense, rushing production and scoring efficiency.

A sputtering offense and uneven results against top-tier opponents have left them fighting just to stay in the postseason picture. 

It’s no surprise they’re sitting at 11/1 to win the Super Bowl — a number that reflects a team searching for answers more than one chasing a title.

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GAMBLING PROBLEM? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. 21+ only. Must be physically located in MO. T&Cs Apply. In App Only.

Why Trust New York Post Betting

Sean Treppedi handicaps the NFL, NHL, MLB and college football for the New York Post. He primarily focuses on picks that reflect market value while tracking trends to mitigate risk.



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No. 22 Missouri looks to disrupt No. 8 Oklahoma’s momentum in Week 13 clash

Published

2 days ago

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November 19, 2025

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No. 22 Missouri looks to disrupt No. 8 Oklahoma’s momentum in Week 13 clash


Missouri heads to Norman on Saturday for a pivotal late-season matchup that carries real weight for both programs. Oklahoma enters the weekend as a touchdown favorite at home, backed by a 70% win probability in Dimers’ simulations, and the Sooners will try to lean on their defense to control the tempo in a game projected to stay low scoring. Missouri, meanwhile, comes in as a live underdog with a 55% chance to cover, and the Tigers have shown enough resilience this season to make this a far more competitive meeting than the odds might suggest.

With a projected final of 26–19 in favor of Oklahoma, the analytics point toward a tight, defense-driven contest—one where field position, turnovers, and red-zone execution could swing everything. Both teams remain firmly in the postseason conversation entering Week 13, and with the total sitting at just 42.5, every possession at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium may feel magnified.

Missouri vs. Oklahoma betting preview

Explore the interactive widget below to discover the current spread, total, and moneyline betting odds and probabilities for the Missouri-Oklahoma matchup at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.

This prediction and best bet for Saturday’s college football matchup between Missouri and Oklahoma is from Dimers.com, a leader in sports betting predictions.

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Check out all the important details on today’s game, as well as the best odds sourced from the top sportsbooks in the country.

Game details

Key information on the Missouri vs. Oklahoma matchup, including where the game is and what time it kicks off.

  • Teams: Missouri vs. Oklahoma
  • Date: Saturday, November 22, 2025
  • Kickoff: 12 p.m. EST
  • Location: Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
  • NCAAF rankings: Updated AP Top 25
  • College football news: Check the latest updates from the official NCAA football news site

Odds

Odds for the key markets in the Missouri-Oklahoma college football matchup.

  • Spread: Missouri +7.5 (-112), Oklahoma -7.5 (-105)
  • Moneyline: Missouri +240, Oklahoma -290
  • Total: Over/Under 42.5 (-110/-110)

The odds and lines featured in this article are the best available from selected sports betting sites at the time of publication and are subject to change.

Promos

New users in Missouri can look forward to these offers from DraftKings, Bet365, BetMGM, and FanDuel all going live December 1st.

Expert prediction: Missouri vs. Oklahoma

Utilizing advanced data analysis and machine learning, the experts at Dimers have executed 10,000 simulations of Saturday’s Missouri vs. Oklahoma matchup.

According to Dimers’ renowned predictive analytics model, Oklahoma is more likely to beat Missouri at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. This prediction is based on the model giving Oklahoma a 70% chance of winning the game.

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Furthermore, Dimers predicts that Missouri (+7.5) has a 55% chance of covering the spread, while the over/under total of 42.5 points has a 60% chance of staying under.

These predictions and probabilities are correct at the time of publication but are subject to potential changes.

Missouri vs. Oklahoma best bet

Our top pick for the Missouri vs. Oklahoma game on Saturday is to bet on Under 42.5 points (-110).

This betting advice is formulated through detailed modeling and valuable wagering intelligence, designed to bring you the best possible plays.

Score prediction for Missouri vs. Oklahoma

Dimers’ predicted final score for the Missouri vs. Oklahoma game on Saturday has Oklahoma winning 26-19.

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This expert prediction is based on each team’s average score following 10,000 game simulations, offering a glimpse into the potential outcome.

College football Week 13: Missouri vs. Oklahoma

Get ready for Saturday’s college football game between Missouri and Oklahoma at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, which is scheduled to start at 12 p.m. EST. We emphasize that all of the college football predictions and college football best bets in this preview are based on 10,000 data-driven simulations of the Missouri vs. Oklahoma matchup, and they are accurate at the time of publication to help you make better decisions when placing bets at online sportsbooks.

Please remember to gamble responsibly and seek trustworthy sources for accurate and up-to-date information when making online betting choices.

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