1. United States
2. Mo.
3. Letter

Marcellus Williams was convicted of killing Felicia Gayle in 1998 and is scheduled to be executed on Tuesday despite concerns over his potential innocence. The Missouri Supreme Court recently declined to intervene, leaving his fate in the hands of the U.S. Supreme Court with less than 24 hours remaining before his scheduled execution by lethal injection. St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell filed a motion in January to vacate Williams' conviction, citing new information about potential evidence contamination. However, this motion was denied by a state judge. Bell and Williams' attorneys argue the 2001 trial was unfair, with Williams convicted largely on the testimony of two unreliable informants incentivized by reward money. They also claim the prosecution's handling of the murder weapon without gloves contaminated crucial DNA evidence meant to exonerate Williams. Despite these concerns over the integrity of Williams' conviction, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson has stated he believes Williams is guilty and the execution will proceed as scheduled by the courts. With the real possibility of an innocent person being put to death, urgent action is needed to grant Williams a comprehensive hearing to properly examine the new evidence and uphold constitutional due process. An irreversible injustice may be imminent without intervention.