Marcellus “Khaliifah” Williams, a man facing execution in September, has been granted an evidentiary hearing on August 21 to present DNA evidence in court that may prove his innocence. The hearing was requested by St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell under a Missouri law allowing prosecutors to potentially vacate a conviction. Williams was convicted in the 1998 murder of Felicia Gayle, but his attorneys argue that he is not linked to the evidence from the crime scene. They also claim that two witnesses against Williams were motivated by reward money and promises of leniency in their own criminal cases. The Missouri Supreme Court issued an execution warrant last month, but Williams’ legal team is fighting for a stay. The Attorney General’s Office argues that Williams is guilty, and his previous appeals have been denied. Former Gov. Eric Greitens halted Williams’ execution twice for DNA testing and further investigation, but the stay was lifted by Gov. Mike Parson in June 2023. Williams’ lawyers hope that the evidentiary hearing will show that he should not be executed. The court will assess the new evidence to determine if Williams is innocent, potentially sparing him from the death penalty.
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