U.S. Supreme Court conservative justices are facing criticism after allowing the execution of Marcellus Williams, a Missouri inmate who was put to death by lethal injection on Tuesday.
Williams was sentenced to death in 2001 for the 1998 murder of Felicia Gayle, who was found stabbed in her St. Louis home. His legal team sought emergency stays from Missouri’s governor, its Supreme Court, and the U.S. Supreme Court, but all three denied the requests leading up to his execution.
The High Court’s decision was divided, with a 6 to 3 split. Liberal justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson expressed their intention to grant a stay.
The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office also supported a stay, voicing concerns about the jury pool’s fairness, along with the fact that DNA evidence from the crime scene did not connect Williams to the murder.
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images; PHOTO OF WILLIAMS COURTESY OF HIS LEGAL TEAM
Family members of the victim previously submitted a clemency petition requesting a life sentence for Williams, claiming their sense of closure came from the possibility of him living. In a statement, Missouri Governor Mike Parson remarked that Williams’ execution ends a case that has unnecessarily distressed Gayle’s family for years.
Many commentators have criticized the conservative majority of the Supreme Court for not intervening. Author John Pavlovitz expressed outrage on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “To hell with the Supreme Court Justices who have no regard for the life of people of color.” Georgia State University Law Professor Anthony Michael Kreis added that the Court’s inaction contributed to Williams’ death, calling it a state-sanctioned murder.
Activist and veteran Charlotte Clymer noted, “The so-called ‘pro-life’ members of the Supreme Court have condemned a man to die despite overwhelming evidence exonerating him.” Missouri Representative Cori Bush condemned the execution, claiming that both the state and the legal system had failed Williams, contributing to injustice under the guise of the death penalty.
While the Supreme Court rarely grants execution stays, they did halt the execution of Texas inmate Ruben Gutierrez just minutes before it was set to occur, highlighting the unpredictability of such rulings.
During his final moments, Williams was with Imam Jalahii Kacem, his son, and two lawyers. He opted for chicken wings and Tater Tots for his last meal and was executed shortly after 6 p.m.