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Marcellus Williams, Robert Roberson, and Wrongful Conviction Day.
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Marcellus Williams. (Image: Courtesy of Marcellus Williams’ legal team)
Remembering Marcellus “Khaliifah” Williams
On Sept. 24, Missouri executed an innocent man. Our hearts are with the family and friends of Marcellus “Khaliifah” Williams and Felicia Gayle, who have suffered unimaginable loss and trauma.
Marcellus' story echoes that of too many others caught in our country’s broken criminal legal system. A Black man convicted of killing a white woman, Marcellus maintained his innocence until the very end. Nonetheless, the Missouri attorney general’s office relentlessly pursued Marcellus' execution and opposed clemency. Attorney General Andrew Bailey and Missouri Gov. Parson — who ultimately denied the request for clemency — ignored the wishes of the victim’s husband who made clear that he did not want Marcellus executed. Amid this heartbreaking loss, we are deeply thankful to everyone who stood with us in the fight for justice. |
Robert Roberson visited with Texas state legislators on Sept. 27, 2024 in Livingston. (Photo courtesy of Rep. John Bucy III)
Stop the Oct. 17 Execution of Robert Roberson, an Innocent Father
Robert Roberson is an innocent father who has spent over two decades on Texas’ death row for a crime that never occurred. There is so much support for Robert’s case that a bipartisan group of Texas state legislators took a moment to visit and personally pray with him. Yet, despite new medical and scientific evidence, support from 86 bipartisan Texas lawmakers, and even claims from the doctor who introduced the shaken baby syndrome hypothesis that the science is faulty, Texas is moving forward with Robert’s execution. That is, unless we urge Gov. Abbott to intervene.
Call Gov. Abbott at 361-264-9653 to stop Texas from making an irreversible mistake:
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How Autism Played a Pivotal Role in Robert’s Case
When Robert Roberson brought his unresponsive daughter to the hospital, medical staff became suspicious of his flat affect and interpreted his response to his daughter’s condition as lacking emotion. His lack of visible emotion is a typical trait of autism. During the 2003 trial for the death of his chronically ill 2-year-old daughter, Nikki, his affect, along with other autism-related behaviors he displayed during the course of the investigation, was used to paint him as cold and remorseless. Robert’s disability directly contributed to his wrongful conviction.
Learn more about how autism played a pivotal role in the rush to judgment on Robert’s case:
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Photo: Tyrone Day is exonerated on May 24, 2023 in Dallas, TX. (Image: Alicia Maule /Innocence Project)
Wrongful Conviction Day
Oct. 2 was Wrongful Conviction Day — a day to acknowledge that wrongful convictions are a symptom of a broken criminal legal system that must be fixed. And that’s exactly what the Innocence Project is working to do.
The Innocence Project was founded as an effort to end wrongful convictions — and since our inception, our team has helped free or exonerate hundreds of wrongly convicted people, pass transformative laws, and advance the innocence movement. Will you make a donation in honor of Wrongful Conviction Day and help us continue our fight to free the innocent and transform the legal system that could end wrongful convictions?
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