Marcellus Williams

Marcellus Williams is scheduled for execution in Missouri on Sept. 24 even though there is no reliable evidence proving that he committed the crime for which he was sentenced to death.

The State destroyed or corrupted the evidence that could conclusively prove his innocence and the available DNA and other forensic crime-scene evidence does not match him. There is far too much uncertainty in this case to allow Mr. Williams to be executed, particularly when the victim’s family believes life without parole is the appropriate sentence. 

It is not too late for Gov. Mike Parson to ensure that Missouri does not take an innocent man’s life. The Governor should exercise his authority to grant clemency and commute Mr. Williams’ sentence to life without parole, or, at a minimum, stay the execution to allow the resolution of further appeals.

With the weight of this new evidence and the unreliability of the witnesses who testified against Mr. Williams, his conviction must be reevaluated to ensure that justice is truly served. Dedicated professionals from the Innocence Project, Midwest Innocence Project, and Bryan Cave, along with attorneys Larry Komp of the Federal Public Defender, Western District of Missouri, and Kent Gipson, make up the team that continues to fight to stop his Sept. 24 execution. They hope that justice will eventually prevail by way of an exoneration.