At 6 p.m. on September 24, 2024, the state of Missouri executed Marcellus Williams for the 1998 murder of Felicia Gayle. The execution occurred after Williams’ continual insistence of his innocence and sizable outcry from the general public.
On the day of the execution, the Missouri Catholic Conference held a respectful protest at the Missouri Capitol building in concert with the Missourians for the Abolition of the Death Penalty organization. At the conclusion of the rally attended by a crowd of over 100 people, the group delivered to the governor’s office a clemency petition that had been signed by over 1.5 million people worldwide. Despite public sentiment, however, the execution of Marcellus Williams was still carried out, and Missouri still has one remaining execution scheduled for the 2024 calendar year.
The Catholic Church is strongly opposed to the death penalty because it disregards the sanctity and dignity of human life. If you would like to contact Governor Parson regarding Missouri’s upcoming execution of Christopher Collings, you can reach his office via phone at (573) 751-3222 or email him here.