Attorney General Bailey Issues Statement Following New Hearing Set in Marcellus Williams Case

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Today, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey announced that the Missouri Supreme Court sided with his office and issued a preliminary writ forcing the trial court to comply with the law and hold an evidentiary hearing in the Marcellus Williams case.

“It is in the interest of every Missourian that the rule of law is fought for and upheld – every time, without fail,” said Attorney General Bailey. “I am glad the Missouri Supreme Court recognized that. We look forward to putting on evidence in a hearing like we were prepared to do yesterday.”

After the Missouri Supreme Court issued the court order forcing the lower court to comply with the law, the trial court scheduled a new evidentiary hearing for August 28 at 8:30 AM, where the defense will be allowed to put on evidence.

Attorney General Bailey will then remind the trial court that:

1. In this case, a new round of DNA testing proved the Attorney General’s Office was right all along; the knife in question has been handled by many actors, including law enforcement, since being found. This was proven correct by the defense’s own DNA evidence, which proved an investigator handled the knife at trial without wearing gloves. In addition, one of the defense’s own experts previously testified he could not rule out the possibility that Williams’s DNA was also on the knife. He could only testify to the fact that enough actors had handled the knife throughout the legal process that others’ DNA was present.

1. In addition, all the evidence the jury relied on to convict the defendant remains intact. The victim’s personal items were found in Williams’s car after the murder. A witness testified that Williams had sold the victim’s laptop to him. Williams confessed to his girlfriend and an inmate in the St. Louis City Jail, and William’s girlfriend saw him dispose of the bloody clothes worn during the murder. All of the evidence in question was available at trial.

1. Instead of taking the opportunity to prove his innocence at the hearing scheduled originally, Williams instead tried to plead guilty to a crime he claims he did not commit. No innocent man is willing to spend the rest of his life in prison unless he knows he is guilty.

The new DNA evidence can be viewed here.

The Missouri Supreme Court’s preliminary writ can be viewed here.