Missouri Executes Marcellus Williams Amid Ongoing Evidence Doubts

The state of Missouri executed Marcellus Williams on Tuesday evening, shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court dismissed a request to delay the execution. According to the state Department of Corrections, Williams was pronounced dead at 6:10 p.m. CT.

Williams maintained his innocence regarding the 1998 murder of Felicia Gayle, a social worker in a St. Louis suburb. He was executed via lethal injection.

“We hope this gives finality to a case that has languished for decades,” remarked Missouri Department of Corrections Director Trevor Foley.

In contrast, St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell, who had advocated for the overturn of Williams’ conviction, expressed disappointment, stating, “This outcome did not serve the interests of justice.” He added, “Marcellus Williams should be alive today. There were multiple points in the timeline when decisions could have been made that would have spared him the death penalty. If there is even the shadow of a doubt of innocence, the death penalty should never be an option.”

Witnesses at the execution included Williams’ son and two attorneys. Notably absent were witnesses from Gayle’s family, who had previously stated their opposition to the execution.

Reports indicated that while awaiting execution, Williams conversed with an imam present in the chamber. After the injection was administered, witnesses noted that Williams moved his feet, slightly turned his head, and experienced chest movements before succumbing.

Earlier appeals to halt the execution were denied by both the Missouri Supreme Court and Governor Mike Parson. This marked the third execution carried out in Missouri this year, coinciding with a nationwide increase in executions during a seven-day period.

Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson voiced their dissent, stating they would have supported a request to pause the execution.

Attorney Tricia Rojo Bushnell of the Midwest Innocence Project condemned the decision, saying, “Tonight, Missouri will execute an innocent man.” She emphasized that various parties, including the victim’s family, now oppose the execution. She highlighted that the prosecutor’s office had admitted to mistakes and was actively working to rectify the conviction.

This incident marks the second time Williams faced execution since being found guilty of Gayle’s murder in 2001. In 2015, the Missouri Supreme Court interrupted plans for his execution to review DNA evidence related to the murder weapon. Williams’ defense argued that DNA tests showed he was not linked to the knife used to stab Gayle.

Subsequently, the case was returned to the Missouri Supreme Court, and another execution date was set for 2017. Just hours before that execution, then-Governor Eric Greitens halted the process and appointed a panel to examine the DNA evidence. However, this board was dissolved earlier this year, without issuing a final report.

After further examination of the evidence, prosecutor Wesley Bell sought to overturn Williams’ conviction, citing new DNA findings and issues during the trial’s jury selection process.

On the eve of an evidentiary hearing, new test results revealed that DNA on the knife handle matched that of individuals involved in Williams’ prosecution, leading to claims that evidence had been mishandled.

With the stakes high, a deal was reached allowing Williams to plead no contest to first-degree murder, resulting in a life sentence without parole. Gayle’s family had previously expressed reluctance to see him executed, complicating the legal landscape surrounding the case.

Attorney General Andrew Bailey contested this agreement, leading to a state supreme court block and an ordered evidentiary hearing regarding Williams’ claims of innocence.

During a recent hearing, the prosecutor admitted to having handled the murder weapon without gloves multiple times, raising significant concerns about the integrity of the evidence. The St. Louis Prosecuting Attorney’s Office ultimately acknowledged serious missteps during Williams’ prosecution.

Despite these admissions, a judge declined to overturn the conviction, and the Missouri Supreme Court subsequently denied relief.

Williams’ legal team urged for a delay, but officials insisted he was engaged in tactics to prolong the legal process, harming the victims and justice system.

In a statement following the execution, Williams’ attorneys criticized the failures that allowed the execution to proceed despite significant evidence suggesting his innocence. They lamented the absence of accountability and the prioritization of procedural finality over justice.

Williams was charged over a year after Gayle’s death, with prosecutors alleging he waited to attack her while she was in the shower. This claim was supported by testimony from witnesses and circumstantial evidence. However, doubts regarding the reliability of the evidence continue to overshadow the case.

The execution of Marcellus Williams has reignited debates about the fairness of the death penalty and the reliability of the justice system.

Source: CBS News