Marcellus Williams was executed in Missouri on Tuesday despite protests and repeated appeal efforts from the Innocence Project. Williams was convicted in 2001 for the 1998 death of Felicia “Lisha” Gayle. She was a married 42-year-old reporter with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Williams was convicted of targeting her home for a daytime burglary and taking her life when she tried to interrupt his crime. He stole items from the house after stabbing her at least 43 times. These items include a ruler and calculator branded with Gayle’s workplace, which was found in his truck.
Williams also a laptop that belonged to Gayle’s husband and sold it. A witness testified in court to receiving the stolen laptop from Williams. He attempted to say that the laptop belonged to his girlfriend, but there was no evidence of that. At the time of his 2001 conviction, he was already serving 20 years in prison for robbing a doughnut shop. Williams has a lengthy rap sheet beyond the doughnut shop robbery and crime against Felicia Gayle. Williams exhausted all appeal opportunities over the course of 15 years, and Missouri Governor Mike Parson ultimately disregarded all last-ditch efforts.
SOURCES:
Marcellus Williams wrote final words, poetry before execution | Kansas City Star
“Missouri lynched another innocent Black man”: Marcellus Williams executed despite prosecutor’s plea | Salon.com
Missouri executes Marcellus Williams, despite victim’s family pleas | AP News
Missouri executes Marcellus Williams despite questions over evidence, after Supreme Court denies final bid for delay – CBS News
Marcellus Williams Executed in Missouri After Long Fight for Exoneration – The New York Times
Missouri executes Marcellus Williams despite calls from the victim’s family to spare his life | WHNT.com
Call Gov. Parson to Stop the Sept. 24 Execution of Marcellus Williams
