Missouri is poised to carry out its first execution since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, with Walter Barton scheduled to be executed on May 19, 2020. This execution will mark the first in the United States since Nathaniel Woods was executed on March 5, 2020. Governor Mike Parson has confirmed that Barton's execution will proceed despite ongoing concerns related to the pandemic. Barton, 64, has maintained his innocence in the 1991 murder of Gladys Kuehler, although DNA evidence has linked him to the crime. His attorney, Fred Duchardt Jr., argues that new blood spatter analysis could potentially sway jurors' opinions regarding his guilt. The pandemic has led to the postponement of executions in three other states, but Missouri's prison system currently reports no confirmed COVID-19 cases. To ensure safety during the execution, witnesses will be separated into three different rooms. This case underscores the ongoing debates surrounding the death penalty and the implications of executing individuals during a public health crisis. [1244707c]