WILL THE STATE HALT THE EXECUTION?
When the State of Missouri convicted Marcellus Williams of killing a white woman during a botched burglary in 1998, there was no DNA testing available for a poor black man in St. Louis who insisted on his innocence. The state depended on two shaky and questionable witnesses who received cash compensation for fingering Williams. The prosecutor had nothing more to present to the Williams' jury of 11 white folks and one black man--than the seemingly tainted testimony of these two witnesses. No physical evidence at all. Williams' overworked, unprepared appointed attorney was not up to task of shaking the testimony of these witnesses. Williams was quickly convicted and after almost two decades on death row he now awaits his cruel execution sentence tomorrow.
In the interim, time and advances in DNA technology as well as money raised by Williams' advocates have permitted scientific testing of the knife used in the crime. Williams' DNA was not present--but the DNA of another man was, There was no physical evidence to support Williams' conviction. His advocates have submitted this new DNA evidence which supports their contention that Williams is innocent. Yet the State Supreme Court has not made what for them is a wrenching decision to stay the execution and subject the state and prosecutors to a new trail
Better to kill an innocent man--and bury their mistakes--.than go back on a bad decision.
That kind of thinking is all too common these days.
Let's hope that the recently elected new Governor of Missouri can turn the page on history and stay this execution. Let's hope he can give Williams a fair opportunity to prove his innocence---and save the State of Missouri--(remember Ferguson) its well meaning white folks, its police and its black folks a great deal of grief,
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