Introduction: Missouri executes

Marcellus Williams, whose murde
conviction was questioned
by prosecutors, died by lethal

injection in Missouri on Tuesday
night after the U.S. Supreme
Court overturned a suspended sentence.

This 55-year-old man
was killed around 6 p.m. CT
in Ben Tare State Prison.

Williams’ lawyers had filed
a series of appeals based on
new evidence, including bias

in pretrial jury selection and
suspicions that the murder
weapon was contaminated.

The victim’s family demanded
that this prisoner be spared death.

The U.S. Supreme Court
action comes a day after the
Missouri Supreme Court and
the governor refused to
grant a stay of execution.

The Supreme Court did not
provide an explanation for
its decision, which is common

practice in cases listed in the
emergency docket. No significant
objections were raised to two of

Mr Williams’s applications. In the
third case, Justices
Sonia Sotomayor,

Elena Kagan and Ketenji Brown
Jackson said they would grant
the request for a stay
of execution.

Williams was
convicted in 2001 of
the murder of former
newspaper reporter

Felicia Gale, who was
found stabbed to death
in her home in 1998.

In a statement read by
Trevor Foley, director of
the Missouri Department

of Corrections, Gov. Mike
Parson said: “We are committed
to closing this case, which went

untested for decades and victimized
the Gill family. I hope so.” No jury
or judge found Williams’ claim
of innocence credible. His

conviction was upheld afte
r 20 years of litigation and
more than 15 trials. The death
sentence was carried out. until

The victim’s family supported a life sentence

After taking office, Parson
dissolved the board and
revoked Williams’ probation,
according to Parson’s attorney.

His lawyers argued that the
decision denies Williams
his right to a fair trial.

“The governor’s actions
violate Williams’ constitutional
rights and require the court’s

immediate attention,” Williams’ attorneys
said in court documents.
Parson defended his decision.

“This board was formed
about six years ago and
it’s time to move on,” Parson

said last summer. We can
delay and stall for another
six years, delaying justice

and leaving victims’ families
in limbo with no resolution. “This gov
ernment will not do that.”