Marcellus Williams

Marcellus Williams, 55, was already serving a lengthy prison sentence for burglary offences when he was convicted in 2001 of the murder of Felicia Gayle, a social worker and former reporter for a local newspaper who was stabbed to death in her home in 1998.

He was charged on the basis of testimony from two informants who his lawyers claim are unreliable.

Hopes were raised that his conviction would be overturned after analysis of DNA found on the murder weapon found it did not match Mr Williams. However, it was subsequently established that the weapon had been mishandled and some of the DNA belonged to police and prosecutors, undermining its ability to exonerate him.

Mr Williams was previously set to be executed in 2017, but was granted a last-minute stay of execution by Missouri’s then-governor Eric Greitens, who established a panel of five retired judges to review his case.

The panel was dissolved last year by Mr Greitens’ successor, Governor Mike Parson – a fellow Republican – before it could submit its conclusions. He rejected requests to grant clemency to Mr Williams.

Earlier this year, local prosecutors joined legal efforts to save Mr Williams’ life, asking a court to vacate his death sentence. He was offered and accepted a plea deal which would have seen his sentence reduced to life imprisonment. However, the plea deal was blocked by the Missouri Supreme Court, which ordered the execution to go ahead.

A last-minute appeal to the Supreme Court of the United States was rejected by judges in a 6-3 vote, reflecting the court’s conservative majority.

In a statement issued yesterday, the Innocence Project said: “Tonight, Missouri executed an innocent man. Our hearts are with the family and friends of Marcellus Williams and Felicia Gayle, who have suffered unimaginable loss and trauma.”

It added: “Mr Williams’ story echoes that of too many others caught in our country’s broken criminal legal system. A Black man convicted of killing a white woman, Mr Williams maintained his innocence until the very end.

“His conviction was based on the testimony of two eyewitnesses who were paid for their testimony. No DNA evidence linked him to the crime.

“And the current St Louis County Prosecuting Attorney acknowledged that errors made by the trial prosecutors – including mishandling the murder weapon and intentionally excluding Black prospective jurors in violation of the Constitution – contributed to a wrongful conviction.

“Nonetheless, the Missouri Attorney General’s Office relentlessly pursued Mr. Williams’ execution and opposed clemency. The Attorney General and Missouri Governor Mike Parson – who ultimately denied the request for clemency – ignored the wishes of the victim’s husband who has consistently made clear that he opposed the death penalty for Mr Williams.

“We are profoundly grateful to everyone who joined our fight for justice.

“As United States Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall – who, before his appointment to the court, also fought for the lives of Black men condemned to death – once said: ‘America can do better, because America has no choice but to do better.’”