Missouri

Missouri man makes life-or-death effort to prove innocence before execution scheduled for next month

Published

4 months ago

August 21, 2024

Missouri man makes life-or-death effort to prove innocence before execution scheduled for next month

Testimony begins Wednesday in a hearing with life-or-death implications for Missouri inmate Marcellus Williams.

The case before St. Louis County Circuit Judge Bruce Hilton is on a motion filed by Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell seeking to vacate Williams’ 1998 murder conviction. Time is of the essence: Williams is scheduled to be executed Sept. 24, and neither Missouri Gov. Mike Parson nor Attorney General Andrew Bailey has shown any inclination to delay the process.

Williams, 55, was convicted of first-degree murder in the 1998 stabbing death of Lisha Gayle. He was hours away from execution in August 2017 when then-Gov. Eric Greitens, a Republican, granted a stay after DNA testing unavailable at the time of the killing showed that DNA on the knife matched someone else, not Williams.

That evidence prompted Bell to reexamine the case.

“This never-before-considered evidence, when paired with the relative paucity of other, credible evidence supporting guilt, as well as additional considerations of ineffective assistance of counsel and racial discrimination in jury selection, casts inexorable doubt on Mr. Williams’s conviction and sentence,” Bell’s motion states.

Williams, who is Black, was convicted and sentenced to death by a jury consisting of 11 white people and one Black person.

Bailey, a Republican, stated in a June court filing that “evidence supporting conviction at trial was overwhelming,” despite the new DNA claims.

A 2021 Missouri law allows prosecuting attorneys to file a motion seeking to vacate a conviction they believe was unjust. The law has resulted in exonerations of three men who spent decades in prison, including Christopher Dunn last month.

Typically, a judge hears a few days of testimony then takes up to two months to weigh the evidence. Hilton won’t have the luxury of time though: Williams’ execution is 34 days away.

The Missouri Supreme Court set the September execution date on June 4, hours after it ruled that Parson, a Republican, was within his rights when he dissolved a board of inquiry convened by Greitens after he stopped the 2017 execution.

The inquiry board, consisting of five retired judges, never issued a ruling or reached a conclusion on whether the new DNA evidence exonerated Williams. Parson dissolved the board in June 2023, saying it was time to “move forward.”

Johnathan Shiflett, spokesperson for Parson, said the governor “will give thoughtful consideration to the question of clemency for Mr. Williams, just as he has for all other capital punishment cases during his tenure, but no decision has been made at this time.” Parson, a former county sheriff, has been governor for 11 executions and never granted clemency.

In addition to Dunn, who spent 34 years behind bars for the death of a 15-year-old St. Louis boy, the Missouri law allowing prosecutors to challenge convictions led to freedom for two other men — Kevin Strickland and Lamar Johnson. Bailey was not attorney general when Strickland’s case went to a hearing, but his office opposed vacating the convictions of Dunn and Johnson.

Bailey also opposed efforts to overturn the conviction of Sandra Hemme, who spent 43 years in prison for murder, though that case was adjudicated through appeals, not a prosecutor’s motion. A judge ruled in June that Hemme should be freed. Bailey filed multiple appeals to try and keep her behind bars, but Hemme was released in July.

Strickland was freed in 2021 after serving more than 40 years for three killings in Kansas City after a judge ruled he had been wrongfully convicted in 1979. In 2023, a St. Louis judge overturned Johnson’s conviction. He served nearly 28 years for a killing he always said he didn’t commit.

Williams is the first death row inmate whose innocence claim will go before a judge since passage of the 2021 law. He’s getting support from another former condemned inmate. Joseph Amrine spent 17 years on death row before he was freed in 2003 after the Missouri Supreme Court ruled that no credible evidence linked him to the killing of another inmate.

“The state has nothing to gain by killing the wrong person,” Amrine said in a statement. “I hope the Attorney General’s office can change their approach and acknowledge there are human beings impacted by their actions.”

Prosecutors at Williams’ trial said he broke into Gayle’s suburban St. Louis home on Aug. 11, 1998, heard water running in the shower, and found a large butcher knife. When Gayle came downstairs, she was stabbed 43 times. Her purse and her husband’s laptop were stolen. Gayle, who was white, was a social worker who previously worked as a reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Authorities said Williams stole a jacket to conceal blood on his shirt. Williams’ girlfriend asked him why he would wear a jacket on a hot day. The girlfriend said she later saw the laptop in the car and that Williams sold it a day or two later.

Prosecutors also cited testimony from Henry Cole, who shared a St. Louis cell with Williams in 1999 while Williams was jailed on unrelated charges. Cole told prosecutors Williams confessed to the killing and offered details about it.

Williams’ attorneys responded that the girlfriend and Cole were both convicted felons out for a $10,000 reward.

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Missouri

Illinois vs. Missouri Prediction, Odds and Key Players for Sunday, December 22

Published

2 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Press Room

Illinois vs. Missouri Prediction, Odds and Key Players for Sunday, December 22

Illinois and Missouri meet in a semi-neutral floor meeting on Sunday with each team looking for a strong non-conference victory.

The Tigers are enjoying a bounceback campaign this season that already features a win against Kansas. Can the team score another victory against a team with Final Four aspirations in Illinois? The Fighting Illini have thrived on the defensive end, but are still searching for consistency on offense around star freshman guard Kasparas Jakucionis. Can the team find it against Missouri?

Here’s our betting preview.

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Moneyline

Total: 154.5 (Over -108/Under -112)

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

Illinois

Kasparas Jakucionis: The 6’6” point guard has thrived to start his college career, averaging 16 points, six rebounds and nearly six assists per game. Jakucionis is a deft three-point shooter as well, hitting 42% of his threes for the perimeter oriented Fighting Illini offense.

Missouri

Mark Mitchell: The Duke transfer has thrived in the new setting, averaging 13 points with five rebounds per game while also providing strong defense as an interior presence with more than a block per game to go with a steal.

Missouri’s heavy ball pressure defense will be a test for Jakucionis, who does have a near-27% turnover rate, but overall this Illinois offense rates out as a strong unit at protecting the ball, ranking top 60 in turnover rate.

With the Tigers aggressive defense, it is vulnerable to letting up second chances, bottom 30 in the country in defensive rebounding rate, which is impactful with the Illinois’ offense elite at generating offensive rebounds, top 30 in the nation.

Missouri’s defense is a bit of a boom-or-bust unit, and I also believe the offense is due to regress after starting the season posting a top three effective field goal percentage in the country at nearly 60% while posting a top three free throw rate.

Illinois’ defense has a ton of length and shuts off the perimeter for opponents, allowing a bottom 40 three-point rate while ranking top five in effective field goal percentage allowed.

This may be an up-and-down affair, but I like this matchup for Illinois to hand Missouri a well overdue loss.

PICK: Illinois -3.5

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

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Missouri

Patrol reports 8 individuals arrested in north Missouri from Dec. 19 to Dec. 21, 2024

Published

9 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Press Room

Patrol reports 8 individuals arrested in north Missouri from Dec. 19 to Dec. 21, 2024

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Between December 19, 2024, and December 21, 2024, the Missouri State Highway Patrol reported eight arrests in north Missouri. The charges ranged from driving while intoxicated (DWI) to vehicle theft and traffic violations. Below is a detailed account of each individual arrested during this period.

Rodney L. Crosby, 43, Council Bluffs, Iowa
On December 19, 2024, at 1:58 p.m., Rodney L. Crosby was arrested in Atchison County. Crosby was charged with vehicle theft under an Emmet County, Iowa, warrant. He was held at the Atchison County Sheriff’s Office with no bond.

Michael L. McMillan, 51, Kansas City, Missouri
On December 19, 2024, at 9:12 p.m., Michael L. McMillan was arrested in Andrew County. He faced charges for driving while intoxicated (DWI), a misdemeanor, speeding, and failing to properly affix a display plate. McMillan was held at the Andrew County Jail on a 12-hour hold.

Denny B. Wiley, 36, Stanberry, Missouri
On December 20, 2024, at 2:33 p.m., Denny B. Wiley was arrested in Gentry County. Wiley was charged with failing to display valid plates on a motor vehicle and misdemeanor DWI. He was held at the Gentry County Sheriff’s Office on a 12-hour hold.

Donita D. Shields, 48, Lee’s Summit, Missouri
On December 20, 2024, at 6:29 p.m., Donita D. Shields was arrested in Clinton County. She was charged with failure to appear (FTA) for a moving traffic violation under a Morgan County warrant. Shields was held at the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office and was bondable.

Bryan J. Castellon Rivas, 22, Omaha, Nebraska
On December 20, 2024, at 10:54 p.m., Bryan J. Castellon Rivas was arrested in Holt County. His charges included exceeding the posted speed limit by 26 mph or more, operating a vehicle without a valid license (first offense), misdemeanor DWI (alcohol), and consuming alcohol while driving. He was held at the Holt County Sheriff’s Office on a 12-hour hold.

Curt J. Batt, 65, Sidney, Nebraska
On December 19, 2024, at 1:15 p.m., Curt J. Batt was arrested in Macon County. Batt was charged with excessive blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .04 or higher while operating a commercial motor vehicle (CMV). He was held at the Macon County Sheriff’s Department and later released.

George A. Garber, 62, Unionville, Missouri
On December 19, 2024, at 7:13 p.m., George A. Garber was arrested in Putnam County. He was charged with felony DWI (alcohol) as an aggravated offender. Garber was held at the Putnam County Jail and later released.

Jose I. Molina-Argueta, 40, Milan, Missouri
On December 21, 2024, at 12:03 a.m., Jose I. Molina-Argueta was arrested in Sullivan County. He faced a charge of DWI (alcohol) and was held at the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Department before being released.

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Both Missouri River bridges now open at Rocheport, MoDOT announces

Published

17 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Press Room

Both Missouri River bridges now open at Rocheport, MoDOT announces

Both east- and westbound Lance Cpl. Leon Deraps Interstate 70 Missouri River bridges now are open to traffic.

The Missouri Department of Transportation announced the full opening of both bridges Friday. A ribbon-cutting marking the occasion was held Dec. 10 on the eastbound bridge. Prior to the eastbound bridge opening, all traffic, regardless of travel direction, was on the westbound bridge.

The westbound bridge was constructed first, all traffic was shifted to it and then the prior metal girder bridge was demolished. The new eastbound bridge was built in same location as the old bridge. The dual-bridge construction was forward looking in preparation for I-70’s expansion to six lanes statewide.

While the eastbound bridge is open, final touches still are needed and all work should finish by the spring.

“These twin new bridges would not have been possible without the foresight, cooperation and contributions of our federal and state elected leaders as well as the local communities who recognized the long-term value of investing in a bridge that connects their region, the state and the nation,” said Dustin Boatwright, Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission chair at the ribbon-cutting. “This project is a testimony to what’s possible when we work together at all levels.”

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