State-Sanctioned Murder: The Execution of Marcellus Williams
The execution of Marcellus Williams pisses me off in a way that few things do. This isn’t just another case of the unjust system screwing up—this is state-sanctioned murder, pure and simple. And it shows just how fucking evil this system is, because even when there’s proof that the person on death row is innocent, they keep pushing forward, like it’s nothing. What kind of monsters are running this thing?
Back in 1998, Marcellus was convicted of killing a white woman, Lisha Gayle, based on the shittiest of evidence—circumstantial garbage and jailhouse informants, which is already unreliable. But because he’s a Black man, the jury—made up of almost all white people—had no problem sending him to death row. Fast forward to 2017, and DNA testing proves his DNA doesn’t even match the murder weapon. It’s not his. And what does the state of Missouri do? Nothing. They execute him anyway. That’s not a mistake—that’s fucking evil.
Let’s be clear—this isn’t some rare case of the system breaking down. No, this is exactly what it’s designed to do. This isn’t just injustice; this is the unjust system working perfectly, destroying Black and poor lives with complete disregard for truth or fairness. The death penalty is a tool used to murder the most vulnerable, and it’s been weaponized for decades, especially against Black men like Marcellus. They know this man might be innocent. They know there’s evidence exonerating him. And they don’t give a shit. That’s how little they value his life.
Think about that for a second. We have the technology to prove that Marcellus Williams is innocent but they don’t care. The whole point of this system is to maintain control and power. The state doesn’t care if it kills an innocent person as long as it can look 'tough on crime' and show that they can still execute people with impunity. And we’re supposed to accept that?
This is why the death penalty needs to be abolished, full stop. No reforms. No half-assed 'improvements.' Just fucking end it. How many innocent lives are you willing to sacrifice to keep this evil system alive? This isn’t about justice—this is about showing that the state has the power to kill whoever it wants, even when it’s wrong. The only way to stop this system from destroying more lives is to tear it down and start from scratch.
Marcellus Williams should be free right now. He should be living his life, not killed by a system that’s designed to do exactly this—grind down Black people, poor people, and anyone it deems disposable. And I’m tired of people pretending like this is something that can be fixed with reforms. We can’t trust this unjust system to hold the power of life and death over anyone, because it doesn’t care about justice. It cares about control and cruelty.
The death penalty isn’t just wrong—it’s fucking evil. It’s state violence dressed up as justice, and it’s used to punish the marginalized and oppressed. The fact that we’re still having to fight against this bullshit is infuriating. This system kills people. Innocent people. And it needs to end. The case of Marcellus Williams proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that the death penalty is too dangerous to exist. It’s time to abolish it and dismantle the whole goddamn system that keeps it alive.
Because if we don’t? More people like Marcellus are going to die, sacrificed on the altar of a system that’s always been about murder, control, and fear. Shout out to all the people who work against this system. The Innocence Project, anti carceral activists, and everyone who fought to keep Marcellus William alive are fighting on the right side of this and I’m deeply sorry for his family and the loss they’ve suffered.
Sources
https://innocenceproject.org/who-is-marcellus-williams-man-facing-execution-in-missouri-despite-dna-evidence-supporting-innocence/
https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/missouri-governor-stays-execution-of-marcellus-williams-to-consider-evidence-of-innocence
https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/missouri-governor-lifts-stay-of-execution-for-marcellus-williams-ending-inquiry-of-innocence-claim
https://innocenceproject.org/marcellus-williams-facing-execution-despite-dna-evidence-of-his-innocence-sues-missouri-governor-and-attorney-general-for-dissolving-board-of-inquiry-examining-the-case-and-moving-to-set-an-executio/
https://www.aol.com/marcellus-williams-executed-two-decades-234216842.html