Department of Justice announcements, news reports

Missouri Executes 55-Year-Old Marcellus Williams at 6 p.m. CT Amid Controversy

Sep 24, 2024, 06:30 PM

Marcellus Williams, a 55-year-old Missouri death row inmate, was executed on September 24, 2024, at 6 p.m. CT, despite significant controversy surrounding his conviction. Williams was sentenced to death for the 1998 murder of Felicia Gayle. However, his case drew widespread attention due to claims of innocence from prosecutors, the victim’s family, and members of the jury. DNA evidence did not link Williams to the crime, and the trial prosecutor admitted to racial bias during jury selection. Efforts to halt the execution included appeals to the Missouri Supreme Court and the U.S. Supreme Court, both of which were denied. Missouri Governor Mike Parson, a Republican, also refused to grant clemency. The execution proceeded despite these appeals and the support for clemency from various quarters. This was Missouri's third execution this year and the 100th since the state resumed executions in 1989.