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Prosecutors raise concerns about lack of evidence as family of victim supports saving Williams from the death penalty

Missouri is slated to execute a man on death row on Tuesday, despite objections from prosecutors who have suggested he was wrongfully convicted.

Marcellus "Khaliifah" Williams, 55, is due to be killed by lethal injection even after the office of the St Louis county prosecuting attorney, which originally convicted him, sought to have his case overturned. Prosecutors have raised concerns about the lack of DNA evidence linking Williams to the 1998 killing of Lisha Gayle and have said that Williams did not get a fair trial.

Although the prosecuting office and victim's family backed an agreement to have Williams avoid the death penalty, Missouri's Republican attorney general, Andrew Bailey, has fought to allow the execution to proceed.

“The public doesn’t want this execution to move forward. The victim’s family doesn’t want this execution to move forward and the St Louis county prosecuting attorney’s office doesn’t want this execution to move forward,” said Jonathan Potts, one of Williams’s attorneys, in an interview Monday. “The attorney general’s office, who had nothing to do with this whatsoever, are the ones who are trying to lead him to the death chamber. It’s pretty startling and extraordinary.”

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[–] [email protected] 172 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

Missouri’s Republican attorney general, Andrew Bailey, has fought to allow the execution to proceed.

"The attorney general’s office, who had nothing to do with this whatsoever, are the ones who are trying to lead him to the death chamber. It’s pretty startling and extraordinary.”

I recognize that this is a horrible tragedy for this man and his family, and I hope there is somehow a last-second reprieve, but let this be yet another reminder - R is the party for those with no empathy, no compassion, no concern for anyone not like them. (and that includes the ones jumping from Trump's sinking ship to cozy up to Harris.) If a Republican is running for any position in your town, any at all, vote for someone else.

[–] [email protected] 42 points 2 months ago (1 children)

It's almost comical how easily you can predict the party affiliations in these stories.

[–] [email protected] 29 points 2 months ago (2 children)

And yet people here still try to push a "bOtH SiDeS" narrative...

[–] [email protected] 27 points 2 months ago

Rule 465: Anyone pushing both sides is actually just pushing one side with plausible deniability.

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[–] [email protected] 102 points 2 months ago (7 children)

If they know he's innocent and they kill him anyways, that sounds like murder.

[–] [email protected] 33 points 2 months ago (1 children)
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[–] [email protected] 25 points 2 months ago

The governor doesn't want to look weak on the wrongly convicted.

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[–] [email protected] 102 points 2 months ago (3 children)

Well, I mean, they don't want to appear lenient on the wrongfully convicted.

[–] [email protected] 33 points 2 months ago (2 children)

You could have just stopped at lenient. They're Republicans, they have no morals or empathy.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 2 months ago (2 children)

republicans? i think it is pronounced racists

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 months ago

Potato potato

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[–] [email protected] 16 points 2 months ago

Yeah, if they let this guy go, other innocent people might start getting ideas.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 months ago

Leela: We've petitioned the governor. But he doesn't want to appear soft on people who've been falsely imprisoned.

[–] [email protected] 99 points 2 months ago (2 children)

The "pro-life" party is filled with genocide apologists, pedophiles, and murderers.

[–] [email protected] 48 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 22 points 2 months ago

That's technically covered by "genocide apologists" I think.

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[–] [email protected] 79 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Isn't this the same attorney general that refused to release prisoners that had been exonerated?

[–] otter 51 points 2 months ago

Yes, and wasted taxpayer dollars trying to get involved in the Trump documents case for some reason and trying to delay sentencing in the hush money case.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (3 children)

Mmmm

Wrongful Imprisonment (kidnapping)

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[–] [email protected] 68 points 2 months ago

So at what point can this just be called what it is? Murder. A republican is trying to take advantage of his position to murder a black man.

[–] [email protected] 54 points 2 months ago (3 children)

When prosecutors make the argument... JFC

Our legal system is an abortion

[–] [email protected] 23 points 2 months ago (1 children)

This murder will be an actual example of a post-term abortion that the right has been pretending to be scared of, ironically enough

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[–] [email protected] 15 points 2 months ago

I'm pretty sure Republicans are quite content with the current legal system, but they hate abortions, so it's more like.....a burning homeless shelter? A Puppy- stomping-Yard? An all-you-can-touch daycare?.............uhm.......... What do republicans like else?

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[–] [email protected] 52 points 2 months ago (7 children)

What is the even the point of the justice system then???

[–] [email protected] 27 points 2 months ago (2 children)

To help silver haired white men

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[–] [email protected] 27 points 2 months ago (1 children)

America doesn't have a justice system, it has a legal system

[–] [email protected] 10 points 2 months ago

Punishment System

[–] [email protected] 13 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Well, it ain't a justice system, that's painfully obvious to the Black community.

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[–] [email protected] 51 points 2 months ago (1 children)

The "pro life" party sure seems to get something out of killing people

[–] [email protected] 33 points 2 months ago (2 children)

I wonder if it has anything to do with the colour of his skin... 🤔

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[–] otter 48 points 2 months ago

Andrew Bailey is the absolute worst and wasn't even elected. He was appointed by the governor after his predecessor was elected to the Senate. Somehow it looks like he is going to win in November which is so depressing.

[–] [email protected] 44 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Holy shit, even the prosecutors have concerns? When they have concerns about the punishment, you know you seriously screwed up and need to reevaluate.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 2 months ago

Had* concerns. The state murdered him today.

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[–] [email protected] 29 points 2 months ago

"Fuck the facts, kill the man and we'll talk later"

[–] [email protected] 27 points 2 months ago (1 children)

At which point do we start calling Andrew Bailey what he is, a murderer?

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[–] [email protected] 26 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Thanks, I prefer Australia where only the plants and animals try to kill you.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 2 months ago

I've never seen Australian exceptionalism. But, I'm not surprised.

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[–] [email protected] 26 points 2 months ago (1 children)

The attorney general argued in court that the prosecutor at the time denied racial motivations for removing Black jurors and asserted there was nothing improper about touching the murder weapon without gloves at the time.

The attorney general is an idiot and lacking in basic evidence collection knowledge.

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[–] [email protected] 23 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Abolish capital punishment!

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 months ago

This here is a perfect reason why you should.

[–] [email protected] 21 points 2 months ago

You would think they would never execute someone without conclusive undeniable evidence. Yet here we are.

[–] [email protected] 19 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

It's too late, they killed him despite the prosecutors and victims family and DNA evidence all pointing towards his innocence. I have seen stories about him everywhere for the last week but apparently Missouri isn't bothered by negative press, they just love killing black people. An aptly named state; I hope its residents riot but I've been to St. Louis and know better than that. I'm afraid this is the new status quo.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Mike Parson is a murderer. RIP Marcellus.

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[–] [email protected] 15 points 2 months ago (1 children)

"Tough on crime, damn the torpedoes, full speed!"

My guess: elections are almost here, so that need to be "tough on crime." This is just despicable

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[–] [email protected] 13 points 2 months ago

Executing INNOCENT People is called being PRO LIFE Libtards!

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