Missouri lynched another innocent Black man: The alarming reality of wrongful convictions in the US
On Tuesday 24 September 2024, Missouri death row inmate Marcellus Williams was executed by lethal injection. Williams, who was 55 at the time of his death, was convicted back in 1998 for the alleged murder of Lisha Gayle, a former reporter for the St Louis Post-Dispatch. While prisoner executions are unfortunately not uncommon in the US, Williams’ particular case stands out as an overwhelming miscarriage of justice. Indeed, having looked at testimonies from celebrities and ordinary individuals alike to the prosecution team and the victim’s own family, it’s evident that this decision was not a favourable one.
What was Marcellus Williams accused of?
Marcellus Williams’ conviction in 1998 revolved around the killing of Lisha Gayle. The inmate was accused of breaking into Gayle’s home, stabbing her to death and stealing several of her belongings. However, Williams has always maintained his innocence. Furthermore, as reported by The Guardian, there is zero forensic evidence tying Williams to the crime.
What were Marcellus Williams’ last words?
Marcellus Williams’ last words were “All Praise Be to Allah in Every Situation!!!” as reported by Missouri Department of Corrections Communications Director Karen Pojmann. During his time in prison, Williams had converted to Islam and had subsequently become an Imam, a religious Muslim leader.
A national outcry over Marcellus Williams’ execution
According to The Independent, more than a million petitions were delivered to Missouri Governor Mike Parson’s office requesting a stay of execution. It should also be noted that the Gayle family even contributed to Williams’ clemency petition, explaining that they wanted his sentence commuted to life without parole.
This case clearly hasn’t just impacted the lives of those involved in it. High profile celebrities took to social media to express their disdain and anger over Williams’ execution. One of the most vocal was British entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson:
Marcellus Williams was killed today by the state of Missouri for a crime he didn’t commit. It’s a shameful day for Missouri, and a shameful day for Governor Mike Parson, who failed in his duty to protect an innocent man from injustice.
— Richard Branson (@richardbranson) September 24, 2024
Missouri United States Representative Cori Bush, who had played a key role in trying to convince Parson to grant Williams clemency, also released a statement following the execution. It read: “The deadly decision to execute Williams came despite urgent pleas from Missourians and people all across the country—including from Felicia Gayle’s family—who called for clemency. Governor Mike Parson didn’t just ignore these pleas and end Williams’ life; he demonstrated how the death penalty is wielded without regard for innocence, compassion, equity, or humanity. He showed us how the standard of ‘beyond a reasonable doubt’ can be applied selectively, depending on who stands accused and who stands in power.”
“The state of Missouri and our nation’s legal system failed Marcellus Williams, and as long as we uphold the death penalty, we continue to perpetuate this depravity—where an innocent person can be killed in the name of justice,” the statement continued.
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) told news outlets: “Tonight, Missouri lynched another innocent Black man.”
TikTok has also played a role in platforming hundreds of unassociated citizens who have been explaining the case and really delving into how truly upsetting and unjustified Williams’ death is:
@loloverruled ♬ original sound - Alex Peter (Lolo)
@riley.lue Replying to @riley.lue Missouri has executed an innocent man after millions petitioned to halt it. There was never forensic evidence tying him to the crime, the victims family and prosecuting attorney even said they did not want the death penalty carried out. However, the system failed him. #marcelluswilliams #breakingnews
♬ original sound - riley.lue
@therosesavage My heart goes out to Marcellus’ entire family. I’m so sorry. #marcelluswilliams
♬ original sound - TheRoseSavage
An increasing amount of criticism and blame has been put on Missouri Governor Parson, whose office declined to intervene despite a national outcry.
So far, 16 prisoners have been executed across the US in 2024, three of which took place in Missouri. The Innocence Project, an organisation that works to free wrongly convicted prisoners and pursue a more equitable justice system, have done extension work into the discriminatory nature of the death penalty, finding that the vast majority of people exonerated from death row are Black or Latinx, and more than half of death row exonerees are Black. This explicitly proves that official misconduct is more often than not present in cases involving marginalised defendants.
Speaking of the execution, Williams’ attorney, Tricia Rojo Bushnell, said in a statement: “Tonight, we all bear witness to Missouri’s grotesque exercise of state power. Let it not be in vain. This should never happen, and we must not let it continue.”
