Show-Me State Times

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey announced that the Missouri Supreme Court has sided with his office and issued a preliminary writ requiring the trial court to 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.”

Following the Supreme Court's order, the trial court scheduled a new evidentiary hearing for August 28 at 8:30 AM, allowing the defense to present evidence.

Attorney General Bailey emphasized key points for the upcoming hearing:

A new round of DNA testing confirmed that multiple actors, including law enforcement, handled the knife in question since its discovery. This was corroborated by defense DNA evidence showing an investigator had handled the knife at trial without gloves. Additionally, one of the defense’s experts testified he could not rule out Williams’s DNA being on the knife but noted others’ DNA was also present due to multiple handlers throughout legal proceedings.

Bailey also stated that all evidence used by the jury to convict Williams remains intact. Items belonging to the victim were found in Williams’s car post-murder; a witness testified Williams sold him the victim’s laptop; and Williams confessed to both his girlfriend and an inmate at St. Louis City Jail. Furthermore, his girlfriend witnessed him disposing of bloody clothes worn during the murder.

Bailey highlighted that instead of proving his innocence at an earlier scheduled hearing, Williams attempted to plead guilty—a move Bailey argues no innocent person would make if they believed themselves not guilty.

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