Marcellus Williams, a death row inmate whose 1998 murder conviction was questioned by a prosecutor, died on Tuesday evening (Sept. 24) by lethal injection in Missouri’s Bonne Terre state prison, following a stay being denied by the Supreme Court.
Several hip-hop legends, including Public Enemy and Busta Rhymes, pleaded for mercy on behalf of the 55-year-old inmate to Missouri’s Governor Mike Parson. Williams’ lawyers filed appeals based on new evidence, including claims of bias in jury selection and contamination of the murder weapon. The victim’s family asked for the inmate to be spared.
The Supreme Court refused to halt the execution of Williams. Public Enemy’s Flavor Flav would express his condolences after Williams was put to death. “RIP #MarcellusWilliams [prayer hands emoji],” tweeted Flav
Marcellus Williams was convicted in 2001 of stabbing to death Felicia Gayle in her 1998 home, a former newspaper reporter. Williams’ attorney, Larry Komp, said his client maintained innocence to the end.
“While he would readily admit to the wrongs he had done throughout his life, he never wavered in asserting his innocence of the crime for which he was put to death tonight,” Komp said. “Although we are devastated and in disbelief over what the State has done to an innocent man, we are comforted that he left this world in peace.”
In a statement read by Trevor Foley, director of the Missouri Department of Corrections, Gov. Parson said:
“We hope this gives finality to a case that’s languished for decades, re-victimizing Ms. Gayle’s family for decades. No juror no judge has ever found Williams’ innocence claim to be credible. Two decades of judicial proceedings and more than 15 judicial hearings upheld his guilty conviction. Thus the order of execution has been carried out.”
Williams, a devoted Muslim, was executed at 6 PM CT. His last witnessed statement was “All Praise Be to Allah In Every Situation!!!”
No one from Gayle’s family was present for Marcellus Willams’s execution.
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