Death Row Inmate Executed Despite Calls for Clemency from Prosecutors and Activists
A death row inmate has been executed for the murder of a woman during a home invasion, despite appeals for clemency from the prosecutor, the victim's family, and Richard Branson.
Marcellus Williams, 55, was convicted for the 1998 murder of Felicia ‘Lisha’ Gayle, who was stabbed over 40 times during a burglary in St. Louis, Missouri. He was executed by lethal injection on September 24.
His final words were: "All praise be to Allah in every situation."
High-profile individuals, including British entrepreneur Richard Branson, called for his life to be spared. In an interview with the BBC, Branson emphasized his belief in Williams's innocence, stating that even the prosecution had urged the governor against the execution.
Branson also expressed his concerns in a blog post, urging Governor Mike Parson to intervene and prevent "the killing of an innocent man." He noted that while there was substantial forensic evidence at the crime scene, none linked to Williams, and his conviction relied solely on inconsistent testimonies from two incentivized witnesses. In 2016, DNA testing confirmed that Williams was not the source of male DNA found on the murder weapon.
Williams’s execution was part of a troubling trend, with five executions scheduled across the U.S. in one week—the highest number in two decades. His last meal consisted of chicken wings and tater tots.
As he awaited execution, Williams spoke with a spiritual advisor. After the lethal injection, he heaved several times before becoming still. His son and two lawyers observed from another room, while no one from the victim's family attended.
"Tonight, we all bear witness to Missouri’s grotesque exercise of state power," stated one of his attorneys, Tricia Rojo Bushnell. She urged that this should not be overlooked and that such actions must stop. Williams's defense team raised concerns about the trial's conduct, including the exclusion of Black jurors and the mishandling of forensic evidence.
Over a million petitions requesting a stay of execution were sent to Governor Parson's office, with the NAACP among those advocating for a cancellation. NAACP President Derrick Johnson condemned the execution, stating, "Tonight, Missouri lynched another innocent Black man."
Williams was one of several death row inmates in five states set to be executed within a week, a significant contrast to the declining trend in the death penalty's use and support in the U.S.