Missouri – A petition has been circulating that was designed to block this month’s execution of a Missouri inmate. The petition had more than 524,000 individuals calling for a halt on the execution of Marcellus Williams. Supports of the petition want Williams to be cleared and released, stating that his claims of innocence a true.
Marcellus Williams was found guilty of the 1998 murder of former Saint Louis Post-Dispatch reporter Felicia Gayle. According to court documents, she had been stabbed 43 times with a knife from her kitchen.
This month, a Saint Louis County judge denied a motion that would vacate the conviction and the death sentence. This means that unless a higher court of Governor Mike Parson steps in, the execution will continue on its scheduled date of September 24, 2024.
If the death sentence is continued, this will be Missouri’s third execution of the year 2024.
