Williams, convicted in 2001 for the murder of Felicia Gayle, a former newspaper reporter found stabbed to death in her home in 1998, faces lethal injection at 6 p.m. CT unless the U.S. Supreme Court intervenes. The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has joined Williams’ legal team in requesting that the conviction be vacated, citing new testimony and DNA evidence indicating contamination of crucial evidence.

In a joint brief submitted to the Missouri Supreme Court, St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell and Williams’ attorneys argued for a comprehensive hearing regarding the DNA testing of the murder weapon. This testing suggested that the evidence presented during the original trial may have been mishandled, raising questions about Williams’ guilt. The case is underscored by the risk of executing an innocent individual, a concern that resonates deeply given that over 200 people on death row have been exonerated since 1973, including four in Missouri, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.

In a motion-to-vacate hearing, it was revealed that the DNA found on the murder weapon belonged to individuals who had handled it without gloves, further complicating the prosecution’s case. “We received a report indicating the DNA on the murder weapon belonged to an assistant prosecuting attorney and an investigator,” the state’s judicial branch noted.

During these proceedings, a prosecutor from Williams’ original trial admitted to excluding a potential juror based on race, stating that he believed they “looked like brothers.” Williams’ attorney, Jonathan Potts, emphasized the racial component of this admission when addressing the Missouri Supreme Court. However, the Missouri Attorney General’s Office disputed this interpretation, asserting that the prosecutor denied using race as a factor in his decision.

Ultimately, the Missouri Supreme Court declined to halt the execution, stating that Williams’ legal team failed to present clear evidence of his actual innocence or significant constitutional errors in the original trial. Governor Michael Parson, who has the authority to grant clemency, also refused to intervene, citing the extensive judicial process that Williams has undergone. “Mr. Williams has exhausted due process and every judicial avenue,” Parson remarked. “At the end of the day, his guilty verdict and sentence of capital punishment were upheld.”

The victim’s family has expressed a preference for a life sentence over the death penalty. An agreement was reached between the St. Louis Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and Williams that would allow him to plead guilty to first-degree murder in exchange for a life sentence. However, the state Attorney General’s office opposed this agreement, leading to a legal battle that ultimately resulted in the state Supreme Court blocking the arrangement.

As the execution draws near, Williams’ legal team has filed a clemency petition with the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing that the previous governor had postponed his execution due to questions surrounding the integrity of his trial. Former Governor Eric Greitens had established a board to investigate Williams’ case, but this process was terminated by Governor Parson.

Williams’ attorneys argue that the execution, carried out without a thorough investigation, undermines the criminal justice system. “Missouri is poised to execute an innocent man, an outcome that calls into question the legitimacy of the entire criminal justice system,” stated attorney Tricia Rojo Bushnell.

As time runs short, Williams and his supporters await any potential intervention from the U.S. Supreme Court, which could alter the course of this contentious case.