A man whose conviction invites reasonable doubt died last Tuesday. Marcellus Williams was lethally injected by the state of Missouri on Sept. 24, 2024.
Convicted in 2001 for the 1998 St. Louis murder of social worker and journalist Felicia Gayle, Williams spent 24 years on death row.
He maintained his innocence unremittingly.
Williams’ DNA was missing from the crime scene and murder weapon. A prosecutor and investigator on the case admitted later that they’d touched, without gloves, the evidential knife: The Associated Press said the weapon had “been so mishandled in the aftermath of the killing that it would be impossible to identify the killer.”
With legitimate doubts raised as to Williams’ state-prescribed guilt, St. Louis County prosecutor Wesley Bell sought to overturn his conviction. The victim’s family wanted — to the point of his dying — Williams’ life spared.
But on Monday, Missouri’s Supreme Court and Gov. Mike Parson denied a proposal to halt his killing. Hours before the injection, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a stay of execution.
Williams died Tuesday by miscarriage of justice: from pentobarbital and the state and federal court’s perversion of basic legal standards.
The Express editorial board was asked their thoughts on the death penalty.
Jakob Arnarsson, editor-in-chief
“Killing someone who killed someone doesn’t really solve anything. It doesn’t bring anyone back. Two negatives don’t make a positive.”
Camille LeDuc, managing editor/ PR director
“Whether they commit the crime or not, nobody deserves death. And no person should be deemed worthy to make a decision as permanent as death.”
Olivia Fitts, news editor/opinions editor
“Marcellus Williams should be alive, and the death penalty decommissioned.”
Sydney Breckenridge, arts & entertainment editor
“I don’t think the death penalty should be banned. If rehabilitation or nothing else works, it should be a worst-case scenario.”
Francis Kennedy, sports editor
“I think the death penalty should be federally banned, but if a person did the crime and deserves the penalty — there should be an exception.”
Rain Hepting, copy editor & Cartoonist
“I don’t think the state should have the power to kill people. I don’t think killing people who have done bad things solves anything. It doesn’t address the societal issues that led them to commit whatever they committed.”
Luke Vavuris, photo editor
“It definitely depends on the situation and crime, and the degree of the crime committed. It’s still a human life being taken. But I think it should be up to the states.”
Sabrina Hossain, social media editor
“I don’t have trust in our legal system. We just executed a man (Williams) that was innocent.”
Jaden Griffin, multimedia editor
“We have to understand: This world’s got a lot of menaces to society. So, I can understand why we have the death penalty – to get the menaces out.”
James Sevilla, web editor/ production editor
“I feel like, after a certain amount of time, the death penalty shouldn’t apply to a conviction anymore. They (incarcerated people) should have the choice whether to spend life in prison or face the death penalty.”
