As we speak, advocates for Marcellus “Khaliifah” Williams gathered outdoors the Missouri Supreme Court docket, the place his enchantment was heard in a remaining try to halt his execution scheduled for tomorrow, September twenty fourth. This enchantment listening to represents one of many final authorized avenues to save lots of the lifetime of a person who has been wrongfully convicted for over 20 years.
Williams was sentenced to demise in 2001 for the 1998 homicide of former Put up-Dispatch reporter Felicia Gayle, a criminal offense for which DNA proof now proves his innocence. But, regardless of this important proof, Missouri courts and the state’s Legal professional Common persist of their efforts to hold out this state-sanctioned homicide, exemplifying the continuing legacy of racial violence throughout the American carceral, punishment system.
Michelle Smith, Co-Director of Missourians for Options to the Dying Penalty (MADP), emphasised the injustice surrounding the case. “Finality of a judgment overrides a human particular person’s life?” She said in response to feedback made by Legal professional Common the place he said there needs to be some finality to a courtroom choice. “That’s problematic for me, Nothing ought to be above precise justice,” Smith stated.
“We should always take nonetheless lengthy it takes to show Mr. Williams’ innocence and guarantee his rights are upheld and that every part is introduced out in courtroom… this finality of judgement declare that the AG’s workplace is upholding is ridiculous… what concerning the finality of judgement for Eric DeValkenare in Kansas Metropolis who murdered a Black particular person and was convicted and the governor is signaling he needs to pardon him, what occurred to that finality of judgement? It’s utterly inconsistent.”
The Missouri Supreme Court docket enchantment follows an alarming historical past of judicial failure. Williams’ conviction was secured largely on the testimonies of two witnesses—each of whom had been paid to testify. No forensic proof linked Williams to the crime scene, and a predominantly white jury handed down the sentence. Since his preliminary conviction, no substantial bodily proof has emerged connecting Williams to the crime, solely deepening the questions across the systemic bias that led to his conviction.
“Justice Denied, Humanity Misplaced”
The newest ruling from St. Louis County Decide Bruce Hilton on September thirteenth upholding Williams’ conviction has solely added gas to the fireplace, main his authorized crew to enchantment as soon as once more to the Missouri Supreme Court docket. But even on this remaining hour, the courts appear extra involved with bureaucratic finality than with fact and justice. As Smith put it, “He’s been incarcerated for twenty-four years. They’re not essentially going to let him go tomorrow. So this finality of judgment declare is ridiculous, particularly as a result of they solely care about it when it’s about Black and poor individuals.”
Nimrod Chapel, President of the Missouri NAACP, echoed these sentiments. “The Legal professional Common’s argument about finality is a double-edged sword. It’s not about simply being performed with the case, it’s about did we get to the reality?” Chapel requested, “The prosecutor’s job is to get to the reality, they usually’ve failed time and time once more. This will probably be yet one more public failure of that workplace to make sure that justice is completed.”
Because the clock ticks down, greater than half 1,000,000 individuals throughout the nation, together with dozens of religion leaders, have joined forces, calling on Governor Parson to halt the execution. “We have to determine what went flawed earlier than, not after. Now’s the time,” stated Chapel. He urged residents to proceed pressuring the governor, asking them to name and demand a right away halt to the execution. “Religion leaders are praying to make sure that Mr. Williams just isn’t murdered. Each Missourian can be complicit on this grave injustice if the execution goes ahead.”
A Legacy of Racial Violence
Williams’ case is emblematic of the systemic racism plaguing the felony authorized system, notably in circumstances the place Black and Brown people are disproportionately focused for capital punishment. His trial jury consisted of 11 white jurors and just one Black juror. The racial bias in jury choice, mixed with the reliance on paid testimony and the entire absence of forensic proof tying Williams to the crime, has led advocates to liken this to a modern-day lynching.
“The demise penalty, particularly in circumstances like this, is an extension of the lengthy historical past of racial violence on this nation,” Smith defined. “Missouri is as soon as once more displaying that Black lives, Black our bodies, may be disposed of by the state with out consequence.”
This can be a growing story. The Defender will proceed reporting dwell from Jefferson Metropolis.