MO HB1625

Prohibits state agents from seeking, imposing, affirming, or inflicting death sentences based on race or defending sentences previously sought on racial grounds

Allows defendants to establish racial bias claims if courts find race was a significant factor in death sentence decisions in their county, city, judicial circuit, or statewide at the time of sentencing

Permits statistical evidence, sworn testimony, and other evidence showing death sentences were sought more frequently based on defendant or victim race, or that racial disparities in peremptory challenges occurred

Requires defendants to prove racial discrimination by clear particularity and allows prosecutors to rebut with evidence that no discrimination occurred in the specific county where the sentence was imposed

Allows defendants to vacate death sentences and be re-sentenced to life without parole if courts find race was a significant factor, with relief available retroactively and within one year of the law's effective date