Marcellus Williams, a Missouri inmate on death row since 2001, was executed by lethal injection on September 24 at 6 p.m. CT. The execution was carried out at Eastern Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center in Bonne Terre, Mo.
Williams was convicted of the 1998 stabbing death of newspaper reporter Felicia Gayle and sentenced to death. He maintained his innocence throughout his imprisonment, claiming he was wrongly accused.
The U.S. Supreme Court denied a stay of execution for Williams, paving the way for his scheduled execution to proceed. The court's decision was made earlier on the day of the execution.
Before his execution, Williams released a statement reading, "All Praise Be To Allah In Every Situation!!!” The statement was a final message from Williams before his death.
Felicia Gayle, a journalist at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, was found brutally murdered inside her gated community home in University City, Mo., on August 11, 1998. She had been stabbed at least 43 times.
Williams' lawyers claimed that the trial prosecutor had contaminated potentially exculpatory DNA evidence, which could have proven Williams' innocence. The St. Louis County Prosecutor's Office now supports Williams' claims of innocence.
The Innocence Project claims that the prosecutor removed six qualified Black prospective jurors from the pool using peremptory challenges, citing racial bias. The jury that convicted Williams consisted of 11 White people and 1 Black person.
Republican Gov. Mike Parson stated that no jury or court had ever found merit in Williams' innocence claims, despite new evidence coming to light. Parson blocked a motion to overturn Williams' conviction and death sentence.
Williams' execution has sparked controversy, with his attorney stating that Missouri is poised to execute an innocent man. The execution has raised questions about the legitimacy of the entire criminal justice system.