What Marcellus Williams’ Case Has Taught the American People

For the millions of Americans who watched in disbelief and disappointment, anger and anxiousness… for those who have seen and heard of this similar tale happen to many innocent people like Marcellus Williams, the American justice system has failed them again. 

On Tuesday, September 24th, 2024,  Marcellus Williams, also known as Iman Khalifah Williams, was executed by the state of Missouri by lethal injection for the death of Felicia “Lisha” Gayle in 1998. This was a crime Williams insisted that he did not commit. For the duration of more than two decades of his life on death row, Williams held onto his innocence. Nevertheless, on the 24th, he met his fate.

Williams’ innocence seemed unlikely at first, but as new information has been uncovered, is is evident that there were several issues with the trial: (1) the prosecutor imprudently rejected several potential black jurors for the trial, (2) the prosecution was grounded upon two false and incentivized witnesses’ testimonies, and arguably most importantly, (3) there was no DNA evidence from the crime scene that connected Marcellus Williams to the crime. To further ignite the mass indignation linked to this case, Gayle’s family, the jurors at the trial, and even the prosecutor themselves opposed the execution of Williams. In spite of this, Missouri Attorney General, Andrew Bailey, Missouri Governor Mike Parsons, the Missouri Supreme Court, and The U.S. Supreme Court remained adamant in taking Williams’ life. 

“Tonight, Missouri executed an innocent man,” said The Innocence Project in a statement. The NAACP posted on their Instagram, “A man was lynched today.” These organizations, along with the Center on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and many others mourn the death of Williams. Behind them, at least 1.4 million who signed a petition by The Innocence Project to free Marcellus Williams from death row also joined in lamenting Williams, not known to many to be an imam for prisoners and an accomplished poet. A popular TikTok influencer, Shari Dyonne, expressed her sentiments recently saying:

“I think a part of me like leading up to this was hoping something would change, but in the back of my mind because I always feel like to my core… that I don’t think that the U.S. justice system cares about who is guilty and who is innocent. — It’s like bump what whatever everybody is saying… like screw the people because there has been so much outcry from the people — so much stuff on the contrary like, ‘No, he’s innocent! Like don’t go through with this!’ But it does not matter to them.”

So, in speculation and highlighting a shared, honest curiosity: why did the Missouri Supreme Court, Governor of Missouri, Mike Parsons, and the U.S. Supreme Court failed to stop Williams’ execution, and what does this tell the American people? 

To explore the first part of this question, a recent CNN interview with Tricia Rojo Bushnell, an attorney representing Marcellus Williams, after announcing that the U.S. Supreme Court has denied a stay, meaning that the court has to proceed with the case without postponing the trial court’s order, answered the question of clemency and staying the execution. In her response, she brings up a point of finality. This response refers to the concept of res judicata. In legal contexts, this Latin term refers to a principle that prevents the same dispute or issue from being litigated more than once. Once a court has made a final judgment on a case, that decision is considered conclusive. Thus, the same parties cannot bring the same claim or issue before the court again, regardless if new evidence arises or, in this case, the truth is revealed. Therefore, res judicata ultimately prevented those in power to stop Williams’ execution to hear the pleas of the people. 

What seems to be the issue is that, if the events and actions that occur in the past where courts are proven to be unjust, yet legal concepts like res judicata and finality prohibit officials from establishing justness for the present, will local, state, and federal courts and its participants be able to act unjustly without consequence? Can the honesty oath that witnesses are obliged to uphold be broken without ramification? Is the court truly an institution, although imperfect, of fairness and justice for all, if such situations go unrectified? 

According to a University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg Policy Center study in 2022, more than half of Americans do not believe that U.S. courts are operating in their best interests. The outrage experienced on social media after Williams’ execution proves this. And if the American people cannot trust the judicial system that plays a pivotal role in grounding the nation, how will the people react? Will they accept in hopelessness such outcomes, or will there be a shift into holding the justice system accountable? The lesson learned by the American people is that if they want change and justice for today, simply demanding for it may not be enough. For Marcellus Williams, unfortunately,  it is too late. But, for the hundreds of innocent people on death row, there may be redemption.