Marcellus Williams, a Missouri man convicted of murder, was executed after efforts to halt it were rejected. He maintained his innocence in the 1998 murder of Felicia Gayle. Despite appeals from his attorneys, prosecutor’s office, and St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell, the execution proceeded. Williams’ attorneys argued that his trial was unfair and that DNA evidence cleared him. St. Louis County prosecutor and Gayle’s family reached a deal to spare him the death penalty, which was rejected. The NAACP and U.S. Rep. Cori Bush criticized the execution, calling it flawed and racist. Despite attempts to stay the execution in the past, including one by then-Governor Eric Greitens, it ultimately took place. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to grant a stay, with liberal justices raising concerns about Williams’ innocence. Williams’ attorneys argued that racial bias and mishandling of evidence tainted the trial. Governor Mike Parson defended the execution, stating that no evidence of innocence had been found. The Innocence Project and others expressed outrage at what they called the execution of an innocent man. This case highlights the flaws in the judicial system and the ongoing debate over the death penalty in the United States.
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Missouri carries out execution of Marcellus Williams despite prosecutors’ attempts to halt it
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