After Marcellus Williams' execution in Missouri, a nation reacts

Marcellus Williams was executed Tuesday in Missouri after being convicted of the 1998 murder of Lisha Gayle, a former St. Louis Post-Dispatch police reporter who was killed during a burglary at the suburban St. Louis home she shared with her physician husband.

Williams, 55, who has maintained his innocence during two previous stays of execution, became the third inmate to be executed in Missouri this year, and the 15th person nationwide.

No DNA test has ever linked Williams to the murder weapon. In recent months, St. Louis County District Attorney Wesley Bell filed a motion to overturn the death sentence, presenting a new DNA lab report showing that the murder weapon was improperly used during Williams’ trial. The motion was denied, and Republican Gov. Mike Parson and the Missouri Supreme Court denied Williams clemency.

William’s execution Tuesday night sparked reactions in Missouri and across the country. Here’s what you need to know.

Execution sparks widespread condemnation

The reaction on the Internet was overwhelmingly against Williams’ death sentence.

“Tonight, we are all witnessing Missouri’s grotesque exercise of state power,” Williams’ attorney, Tricia Rojo Bushnell, said in a statement before the execution, noting how prosecutors had “fought diligently to overturn the conviction and save Mr. Williams’ life.”

Missouri Congresswoman Cori Bush said, “The state of Missouri and our nation’s legal system failed Marcellus Williams, and as long as we maintain the death penalty, we will continue to perpetuate this depravity.”

Derrick Johnson of the NAACP compared the execution to a lynching.

“What kind of message does this send to the people of Missouri and all the people of the country?” Johnson said on X. “#MarcellusWilliams deserved to live.”

Today, Missouri Governor Parson decided to kill Marcellus Williams, an innocent man who did not commit murder.

What kind of message does this send to Missourians and citizens across the country?#MarcellusWilliams deserved to live. pic.twitter.com/LtfFS2411J

— Derrick Johnson (@DerrickNAACP) September 24, 2024

Richard Branson, billionaire and co-founder of the Virgin Group, condemned the execution in a thread on X.

Marcellus Williams was murdered today by the State of Missouri for a crime he did not commit. This is a shameful day for Missouri and for Governor Mike Parson, who failed in his duty to protect an innocent man from injustice.

— Richard Branson (@richardbranson) September 24, 2024

The execution of Marcellus Williams is a horrible injustice. It should not have happened. Just a few weeks ago, prosecutors, with the support of the victim’s family, reached a plea agreement with Marcellus that eliminated the possibility of the death penalty.

— Sister Helen Prejean (@helenprejean) September 24, 2024

Conservative radio host Dana Loesch used news of Williams’ execution to draw attention to the death of St. Louis police officer David Lee, who was killed when an alleged drunk driver struck him Sunday.

This story will continue to be updated.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Marcellus Williams executed: Nation reacts to death sentence