Legislative records, news reports

Missouri Executes Marcellus Williams Despite Supreme Court's 6-3 Vote and Claims of Innocence

Sep 24, 2024, 10:15 PM

Marcellus Williams was executed by the state of Missouri on September 24, 2024, despite significant opposition and claims of his innocence. Williams, 55, was convicted for the 1998 murder of Felicia Gayle, a former reporter. The execution proceeded after both the Missouri Supreme Court and Governor Mike Parson denied requests to halt it. The U.S. Supreme Court also denied a stay of execution in a 6-3 vote. Notably, the prosecutor's office that originally secured Williams' conviction expressed doubts about the integrity of the case, and the victim's family opposed the execution. Williams maintained his innocence until his death, and his legal team, along with various civil rights groups, argued that new evidence, DNA evidence, and forensic testing raised serious questions about his guilt. Concerns about racial bias were also highlighted. Despite these efforts, Williams was executed by lethal injection at 6 p.m. CT.