Man set to be executed for killing New Bloomfield couple sues Parson, acting DOC director

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man who is scheduled to executed next month is suing Gov. Mike Parson and Trevor Foley, who is the acting director of the Department of Corrections.

A Boone County jury found Brian Dorsey, 51, guilty of two counts of first-degree murder in 2008 and he was sentenced to death. He previously fought the sentence. He was found guilty of killing his cousin, Sarah Bonnie, and her husband, Ben, on Dec. 23, 2006 at their New Bloomfield home.

Dorsey is set to be executed on April 9. The order for his execution was set in December, after Foley was picked as the acting director of the DOC following the retirement of Anne Precythe.

In his petition – that was filed on Thursday -- Dorsey claims Foley, as the acting DOC director, does not have the authority to oversee an execution. The lawsuit claims that the director of the DOC is responsible for overseeing all aspects of an execution.

The petition also claims that Foley overseeing the execution is a violation of the Administrative Petition Act, and also asks for a writ to prohibit Foley from overseeing the execution.

Summons were issued for Parson and Foley on Friday. A court date has not been scheduled.