Marcellus Williams, a death row inmate in Missouri, is set to be executed for the murder of Felicia Gayle in 1998. Williams maintains his innocence, with his attorneys arguing that the evidence used to convict him was flawed and his trial was unfair. Before his scheduled execution, his lawyers brought new evidence to the Missouri Supreme Court, claiming that the trial prosecutor admitted to striking a black juror based on race and mishandled the murder weapon. They are seeking to halt the execution or revisit these issues in a lower court.
Evidence shows that Williams’ DNA was not found on the murder weapon, and recent testing even suggested that the DNA found belongs to members of the prosecution team who had touched the knife without gloves. Despite this, the state Attorney General and the Missouri Supreme Court rejected a deal that would have spared Williams from the death penalty in exchange for life in prison without parole.
Williams’ attorneys have appealed to both the state and U.S. Supreme Courts and have requested clemency from the Missouri Governor in an effort to save his life. The NAACP has also urged the governor to stop the execution, calling it a miscarriage of justice based on race. In the past, Williams’ execution was stayed due to new evidence, but now, his fate hangs in the balance as efforts to overturn his conviction continue.
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