Marcellus Williams’ Execution Set in Missouri Woman’s Murder; Clemency Denied

Missouri is preparing to execute Marcellus Williams on Tuesday for the brutal stabbing of Lisha Gayle, a former newspaper reporter, in her suburban St. Louis home. If the execution proceeds as scheduled, it will mark Williams as the third inmate executed in Missouri this year and the 15th or 16th nationwide, depending on the timing of another execution scheduled in Texas on the same day.

Williams, 55, was convicted of murdering Gayle on August 11, 1998. She was remembered as a “once-in-a-lifetime friend” who had a talent for finding the good in others. Throughout the legal proceedings, Williams has maintained his innocence, and no DNA evidence has directly linked him to the crime scene. Despite these claims, Missouri Governor Mike Parson, a Republican, denied a petition to halt the execution, stating that “no jury nor court, including at the trial, appellate, and Supreme Court levels, have ever found merit in Mr. Williams’ innocence claims.”

Governor Parson emphasized the complexity of capital punishment cases and expressed his commitment to following the law while trusting the judicial system’s integrity. His decision came after both he and the Missouri Supreme Court denied clemency requests made on Williams’ behalf. Attorney Tricia Rojo Bushnell, representing Williams, asserted that the state was on the verge of executing an innocent man, which could undermine confidence in the entire criminal justice process.

Attempts have been made to overturn Williams’ conviction. The St. Louis County Prosecutor’s Office filed a motion claiming that the original trial prosecutor mishandled potentially exculpatory DNA evidence. However, this motion was denied, reflecting the ongoing complexities in the case. Additionally, more than a million citizens petitioned for clemency, including a coalition of 69 religious leaders from various faith traditions.

Williams is set to be executed by lethal injection after 6 p.m. Tuesday at a state prison in Bonne Terre, located about 60 miles southwest of St. Louis. This method is the most common form of execution across the United States. Williams will receive a 5-gram dose of pentobarbital, consistent with Missouri’s lethal injection protocol. Witnesses will be able to see Williams, but he will not be able to see them due to the design of the execution chamber.

The murder case that led to Williams’ conviction involved Gayle, who was attacked in her home while taking a shower. The intruder gained access by breaking a small window and then unlocking the front door. Gayle encountered her assailant on the staircase landing and was tragically stabbed 43 times with a kitchen knife taken from her own home. Her husband discovered her body later that day, prompting a 911 call. Evidence gathered from the crime scene included bloody shoeprints, fingerprints, and a knife sheath, as well as hair from the perpetrator found on Gayle’s clothing.

Williams was sentenced to death in 2001. His case has faced opposition in previous execution attempts—twice in 2015 and 2017—when lethal injections were halted to allow for more DNA testing. The stay was recently lifted by Governor Parson, leading to the current execution warrant for Williams.

In a recent court hearing, state prosecutors acknowledged that evidence was mishandled in the original trial that could have contributed to wrongful conviction claims. Despite this, Judge Bruce Hilton declined to vacate the murder conviction and stated there was no basis for finding Williams innocent. The judge’s position remained firm, reinforcing that Williams had been found guilty of first-degree murder.

As of now, Williams is one of ten inmates on death row in Missouri, all men aged between 44 and 68. The state has already executed two individuals this year, the latest being on June 11, while another execution is set for December 3. Should Williams’ execution proceed, it will represent the 97th execution in Missouri’s history.

Source: USA Today