John: A court in Missouri set a hearing on St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell's motion to vacate Marcellus Williams' wrongful conviction. For the first time, a court will consider the exculpatory evidence in his case. Midwest Innocence Project Executive Director Tricia Bushnell, an attorney for Mr. Williams, issued the following statement in response to the court’s decision:

"After reviewing the DNA evidence that proves Marcellus Williams is actually innocent, Prosecuting Attorney Bell took the appropriate steps under Missouri law to correct his wrongful conviction. The court will now do its part to assess this never-before-considered exculpatory evidence. This is the procedure the Missouri Legislature created to ensure the state does not execute an innocent person like Mr. Williams."

The fight to exonerate Marcellus continues. Despite overwhelming evidence supporting his innocence, Missouri has scheduled Marcellus for execution on Sept. 24, 2024.

John, we're counting on you to help us save an innocent man. Will you join us in stopping Marcellus' execution and ending this injustice before it's too late?

For more than 23 years, Marcellus has been seeking to prove his innocence for a crime he did not commit. In 1998, Felicia Gayle was found murdered, and the perpetrator left behind considerable forensic evidence — none of which matches Marcellus. The prosecution's case against Marcellus relied extensively upon the inconsistent testimonies of two incentivized witnesses.

Despite new DNA testing that confirms Marcellus' innocence, no court has considered the "clear and convincing evidence" — until now. On Aug. 21, 2024, a court will finally consider this exculpatory evidence.

But our fight isn't over, John. We need to act now to ensure Marcellus is exonerated before his execution date on Sept. 24.

John, there are less than 85 days to STOP Missouri from executing Marcellus, an innocent person. Will you join us in taking a stand by adding your name to the petition, joining our advocacy team and sharing Marcellus' story on social media?