KANSAS CITY, Mo. — For the first time since 2015, Missouri has returned to executing multiple people on death row per year — two in 2022 and two scheduled so far for 2023 — but details about the process remain shrouded in secrecy.
Nineteen prisoners have capital sentences, according to the Missouri Department of Corrections. The Missouri Supreme Court has issued death warrants for two of them: Amber McLaughlin is scheduled to die Jan. 3 and Leonard Taylor’s execution date is Feb. 7.
The state of Missouri uses pentobarbital, a drug commonly used in animal euthanasia. Public records show the state spends at least $20,500 on the drugs used for each execution.
