Why are the Attorney General and Governor Such Assholes in Missouri?
Missouri's Attorney General Andrew Bailey and Governor Mike Parson are actively working to ensure that an innocent man is executed on September 24th, 2024.
The case of Marcellus “Khaliifah” Williams, who has been wrongfully incarcerated on death row for 25 years, stands as one of the most disturbing and direly important cases currently making its way through the Missouri court system. It exemplifies the deep flaws within the criminal justice system, especially in capital punishment cases where the stakes are life and death.
A Disturbing Pursuit of Injustice
On August 11, 1998, Felicia Gayle, a white woman from St. Louis County, was brutally stabbed to death in her home with a large kitchen knife taken from her own kitchen. Despite the perpetrator leaving behind significant forensic evidence—including fingerprints, footprints, hair, and DNA on the murder weapon—none of it matched Khaliifah. The case went unsolved for over a year until a $10,000 reward prompted two informants with lengthy criminal records to come forward, implicating Khaliifah based on unreliable and incentivized testimonies.
Khaliifah was arrested in November 1999, and despite maintaining his innocence from the start, he was convicted in June 2001. The prosecution’s case relied entirely on the shaky testimonies of these incentivized informants, with no physical evidence linking Khaliifah to the crime. Over the decades, Khaliifah’s legal team fought tirelessly to expose the flaws in his case, filing appeals at every level of the judicial system, all of which were denied. The Missouri Supreme Court scheduled his first execution date for January 28, 2015, without considering crucial DNA evidence.
Despite continuous requests from Khaliifah’s attorneys, DNA on the murder weapon was not tested until the state was on the verge of executing him. Under pressure, the court finally ordered DNA testing in 2015, which excluded Khaliifah and identified an unknown male instead. Yet, the courts continued to ignore this exculpatory evidence, and Khaliifah narrowly escaped death on multiple occasions. He even ate his last meal before a previous execution date in 2017, only for then-Governor Eric Greitens to issue a temporary stay of execution mere hours before it was set to proceed.
The Politics of Injustice
After Khaliifah’s 2017 stay of execution, then-Governor Greitens initiated a Board of Inquiry (BOI) to scrutinize the legitimacy of his conviction. Fast forward to 2023, and Governor Mike Parson abruptly dismantled the BOI before it could complete its review, a clear dismissal of due process. Parson defended his decision with a statement that reeks of political theater:
"This Board was established nearly six years ago, and it is time to move forward. We could stall and delay for another six years, deferring justice, leaving a victim's family in limbo, and solving nothing. This administration won't do that. Withdrawing the order allows the process to proceed within the judicial system, and, once the due process of law has been exhausted, everyone will receive certainty."
Within 24 hours, Attorney General Bailey requested a new execution date, steamrolling over the ongoing investigation and the compelling DNA evidence that points to Khaliifah’s innocence. By January 2024, the St. Louis County Prosecutor’s Office, acknowledging the weight of the new evidence, filed a motion to vacate Khaliifah’s conviction and death sentence, urging the court to hear this evidence. Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell emphasized that it was time “to begin the process of correcting this manifest injustice.” Yet, in a staggering disregard for justice, the Missouri Supreme Court set a new execution date for September 24, 2024.
In January 2024, the St. Louis County Prosecutor’s Office, acknowledging the weight of the exonerating evidence, filed a motion to vacate Khaliifah’s conviction and death sentence, urging the court to hold a hearing to present this new evidence. Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell stated in his motion that it was necessary “to begin the process of correcting this manifest injustice.” Despite this, the Missouri Supreme Court set another execution date for September 24, 2024, showing blatant disregard for due process.
Attorney General Bailey has consistently blocked Khaliifah’s appeals, demonstrating a well-documented pattern by the Missouri Attorney General’s office to obstruct justice in innocence cases. Notably, Kevin Strickland and Lamar Johnson were exonerated in 2021 and 2023, respectively, despite fierce opposition from Bailey’s office. Bailey and Parson’s actions have gone beyond indifference—they have actively sabotaged legal procedures, ignored mounting evidence, and trampled on any attempt to correct this blatant miscarriage of justice.
The case of Marcellus Williams is not just a failure of the system—it is a deliberate and horrifying pursuit of injustice by elected officials sworn to uphold the law. Despite overwhelming evidence proving his innocence, Bailey and Parson continue their relentless campaign to execute Khaliifah, treating justice as an inconvenience and due process as optional.
The Alford Plea and Continuing Legal Battles
In a desperate bid to escape execution, Khaliifah entered an Alford Plea, a unique no-contest plea that allows a defendant to maintain innocence while conceding to a guilty verdict to avoid a harsher sentence. However, Bailey’s office challenged the circuit court's jurisdiction to impose this sentence, further complicating Khaliifah’s quest for freedom.
The Missouri Supreme Court intervened, ordering St. Louis County Judge Bruce Hilton to revoke the consent order accepting the Alford Plea and to conduct the evidentiary hearing that had initially been set for September 13. The court’s ruling permits Judge Hilton to request an administrative stay of execution until the hearing is resolved, but this comes as a temporary respite in a deeply flawed process.
As Khaliifah’s execution date looms, the Missouri Supreme Court's intervention underscores the chaos caused by Parson and Bailey’s relentless interference. The scheduled hearing, which was supposed to address new DNA evidence and the motion to vacate his conviction, was derailed when Khaliifah took the Alford Plea under threat of immediate execution.
Missouri NAACP President Nimrod Chapel has sharply criticized Bailey’s mishandling of the case, warning that if citizens can’t trust the integrity of prosecutors and courts, then democracy itself is at risk. Khaliifah’s son has expressed deep frustration that his father has yet to be fully exonerated but remains hopeful that justice will eventually prevail.
This case transcends one man’s fight for freedom; it’s a damning indictment of a system where those in power are willing to sacrifice truth and lives for political expediency. Executing Marcellus Williams would be not just a legal atrocity but a profound moral failure, an indelible stain on Missouri’s conscience that should infuriate us all. As the clock ticks toward September 24, the state seems determined to kill an innocent man, showcasing a justice system where innocence is irrelevant, and human life is expendable.
Conclusion: Time to End the Performance
Marcellus Williams’ case is a glaring example of a justice system that prioritizes political gain over truth. Bailey and Parson’s ongoing efforts to execute Khaliifah, despite overwhelming evidence of his innocence, reveal the extent of rot within our institutions. This isn’t just about one man’s life—it’s about the dangerous precedent set by those willing to sacrifice truth for political gain.
The execution of Marcellus Williams would not only be a legal atrocity but a moral stain on Missouri, exposing a profound failure of justice that should outrage us all. As time moves forward, it is crucial to recognize the death penalty for what it truly is—a remnant of our darkest impulses, a spectacle that benefits only those seeking political gain through fear. The final act is upon us, and it's time to pull back the curtain and end this senseless charade and declare: enough is enough.
Wow, very well written!