Missouri Supreme Court and governor refuse to halt the execution of man convicted of 1998 killing

Associated Press

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri’s top court and governor have each rejected requests to cancel a Missouri man’s scheduled lethal injection. Marcellus Williams is set to be executed at 6 p.m. Tuesday for the 1998 murder of Lisha Gayle. Gayle was a social worker and former newspaper reporter who was repeatedly stabbed during a burglary of her suburban St. Louis home. Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, a Republican, on Monday rejected Williams’ clemency request. That would have spared him from the death penalty and instead change his sentence to life in prison. The Missouri Supreme Court has also rejected a request to cancel the execution. Attorneys for Williams still have an appeal before the U.S. Supreme Court.