Missouri set to execute inmate despite evidence suggesting innocence

[laserhaas]

Last edited Tue Aug 22, 2017, 01:25 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: U.zk. Indeprndent

Marcellus Williams, now 48, was found guilty of the August 1998 murder of Lisha Gayle, 42, at home in St Louis. He was convicted and sentenced to death three years later.

He is scheduled to be killed by lethal injection at 6pm on Tuesday (12am GMT).

There is no physical evidence, no eyewitnesses that directly connect Williams to the murder, the DNA on the weapon wasn't his, the bloody footprint at the murder scene wasn't from Williams' shoe and was a different size, and the hair fibres found weren't his.


In 2015 the Missouri Supreme Court delayed Williams’ execution to allow for further DNA testing, but despite the new evidence it ruled last week that the killing should go ahead. Williams’ legal team is requesting a new hearing or for his sentence to be reduced to life in prison.



Read more: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/marcellus-williams-missouri-execution-death-row-inmate-new-evidence-innocence-murder-neil-gorsuch-a7906321.html

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Why are states hell bent on executions, despite evidence to the contrary? This man received a stall, for the sake of DNA testing; which appears to be exonerating.

WTF!

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

UPDATE

LL Cool J. asks people to get the word out and provides link to Petition

Link to tweet

[SwissTony]

1. That seems fair (NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

You pay two "witnesses" to say he confessed to the killing. All physical evidence suggests he was NOT the killer.

Come on, America. You can do better than that.

[laserhaas]

2. You would think yge sanctity of life would be more important

Than a state's need to execute; and a prosectors office desire to log an (unjustified) win.

[Archae]

3. "Hey, all dem "n***** deserve to be lynched..."

Just that the Missouri courts are the ones doing the lynching of this guy.

[laserhaas]

4. The shoe me state

Wonder they dont do a pay per view

Fruk'rs

[laserhaas]

5. Here's a link to a petition

Link to tweet

[WhoIsNumberNone]

6. This is one of the biggest reasons I'm against the death penalty

It costs a hell of a lot of money to try a capital case, and after spending so much these assholes can't stand to admit they got the wrong guy. Even when it's obvious to everyone else in the world.

[laserhaas]

7. Makes me weep, for the souls taken, needlessly

Last edited Tue Aug 22, 2017, 02:48 PM - Edit history (1)

and the closed cases that should be kept open.

Rage is too soft a word...for my mix of emotions

[DavidDvorkin]

8. Must. Kill. Must. Kill.

The state playing the role of a psychotic serial killer.

[greyl]

9. Missouri Gov just issued a stay of execution!

Per CNN tv.

[laserhaas]

11. Woo Hoo

[Honeycombe8]

10. What was the evidence on which he was found guilty?

Did he confess? Or....??? There has to be some evidence to the contrary, to support a guilty verdict.

There are false confessions, too.

[StevieM]

12. Here are a couple of articles.

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2017/08/marcellus-williams-faces-execution-evidence-170820052647111.html

http://www.cnn.com/2017/08/22/us/execution-missouri-marcellus-williams/index.html

[Honeycombe8]

13. Oh, well, good. The governor has issued a stay.

That's pretty convincing...DNA on the murder weapon.

I can see why he was convicted. The woman is savagely murdered, and he is caught with her personal property in his trunk, and he had sold her laptop. Then two cellmates testify that he confessed.

It would be interesting to know if the cellmates are white. ??? Or why the weapon wasn't tested for DNA before.

[StevieM]

14. I think the type of DNA testing they did is somewhat new. The murder was committed in 1998.

It was one cellmate and one ex-girlfriend, both convicted felons in their own right.

I tend to be skeptical when the police or DA tell us that a suspect has for some reason decided to confess to their cellmate.