In a significant development, the US Supreme Court has decided not to intervene in the scheduled execution of Missouri death row inmate, Brian Dorsey. Dorsey had been seeking clemency, citing remorse for the 2006 murders of his cousin, Sarah Bonnie, and her husband, Benjamin. However, his pleas were denied by the state's Republican governor, Mike Parson, dealing a blow to Dorsey's hopes for a commutation of his sentence to life in prison.

Dorsey's case garnered attention and support from more than 70 correctional officers who backed sparing his life. His attorney, Kirk Henderson, argued that executing Dorsey would serve no legitimate penological purpose and described the act as a "pointless cruelty." Despite these arguments, Governor Parson maintained that Dorsey's sentence would be carried out as mandated by the Missouri Supreme Court.

The execution warrant stipulates that Dorsey is scheduled to be executed within a 24-hour window beginning at 6 p.m. CT on Tuesday. While Dorsey's lawyers highlighted his remorse and rehabilitation during his time in prison, Governor Parson emphasized the severity of his crimes, describing his actions as a "cruelty, inhumane violence, and murder."

Dorsey's attorneys also raised concerns about a financial conflict of interest surrounding the payment of his trial lawyers, who were compensated with flat fees of $12,000. This arrangement, they argued, may have discouraged the thorough investigation of his case, leading to a plea of guilty without adequately exploring the possibility that Dorsey was incapable of the deliberation required for a first-degree murder charge.

The murders, which occurred on the night of December 23, 2006, deeply affected Sarah Bonnie's family. The court records stated that Dorsey called her earlier that day seeking help and ended up killing her and her husband in their own home. The family's statement expressed their belief that justice would finally be served through Dorsey's execution.

Despite hope from some family members and supporters that Dorsey would be spared, Attorney Jenni Gerhauser issued a statement expressing devastation and disheartenment over the decision not to save Dorsey's life. As the execution proceeds, Gerhauser lamented that their own punishment, as family members who loved Dorsey, would now begin.

The execution of Brian Dorsey marks another chapter in the ongoing debate over capital punishment in the United States, with conflicting views on whether it serves as a just form of retribution or as an ineffective and inhumane practice. As the minutes tick away towards the scheduled execution, the words of Dorsey's attorney, Henderson, echo in the air: "We will miss his smile and his bear hugs. It has been my honor to know Brian and to share his story."