The Missouri Supreme Court has intervened in the case of death row inmate Marcellus Williams, blocking an agreement that would have seen him resentenced to life without parole. This decision comes after new DNA evidence complicated Williams' innocence claim just over a month before his scheduled execution.
The state Supreme Court directed the St. Louis County Circuit Court to set aside the consent judgment reached on Wednesday and scheduled an evidentiary hearing to be completed by September 13. The lower court may seek a stay of Williams' execution date on September 24 while the proceedings unfold.
Williams, who has maintained his innocence in the murder of Felicia Gayle since 1998, entered an Alford plea of guilty to first-degree murder as part of the consent judgment. This plea allows a defendant to assert innocence while acknowledging the evidence against them.
The Missouri Attorney General's Office, which appealed the consent judgment, welcomed the Supreme Court's ruling, emphasizing the importance of upholding the rule of law in every case.
The pivotal development leading to the agreement was new DNA testing that revealed mishandling of evidence, complicating Williams' innocence claim. The St. Louis Prosecuting Attorney's Office had filed a motion to vacate Williams' conviction in January, citing DNA evidence that excluded him as the perpetrator.
Despite the new DNA test results, which indicated mishandling of evidence by law enforcement, the consent judgment was reached with the support of the prosecuting office and the victim's family. The St. Louis County Circuit Court has now scheduled an evidentiary hearing for August 28 to further examine the case.
Williams' legal team expressed readiness to present evidence supporting the circuit court's decision at the upcoming hearing. The case has raised questions about the handling of critical evidence and the pursuit of justice in capital punishment cases.
