The State of Missouri is scheduled to execute Marcellus “Khaliifah” Williams on Sept. 24 for a crime that even prosecutors now say he did not commit. On Sept. 12, a Missouri judge denied a motion filed by prosecutors to vacate Williams’ conviction and death penalty, taking him off death row. Despite more than half a million petition signatures demanding Williams be freed from death row, Missouri is set to proceed with the execution. Michelle Smith, Co-Director of Missourians to Abolish the Death Penalty, joins Rattling the Bars to explain Williams’ case and the fight to free him from death row before it’s too late.

Transcript: Fighting To Exonerate an Innocent Man From Death Row

Mansa Musa:

Welcome to this edition of Rattling the Bars. I’m your host, Mansa Musa.

In this country, according to the Constitution of the United States, a presumption of innocent goes with a person that’s arrested. They’re presumed innocent until they are found guilty. It’s not they’re presumed innocent until they exonerate themselves from death row. The burden is always on the state to prosecute a person beyond a reasonable doubt.

We have a situation today where a man that is innocent, not by me saying this, but by the very people that prosecuted him saying this, that he’s innocent. It's not just me saying this, it's the evidence, the DNA evidence is saying this. Not me saying this, but a preponderance of evidence and people coming out on behalf of Marcellus Williams Khaliifah, better known as Khaliifah, who is on death row and slated to be executed the 24th of this month.

Joining me today is a supporter and an advocate for Khaliifah, Michelle Smith. Welcome, Michelle.

Michelle Smith:

Thank you so much. Thank you for having me on. I appreciate the space to talk about Khaliifah’s case.

Mansa Musa:

Okay, so let’s start right here. First, tell us a little bit about what you do, then we are going to what’s going on with Khaliifah.

Michelle Smith:

Sure. So, well, as far as myself and my organization, I am the co-director of Missourians to Abolish the Death Penalty. We are the only statewide entity in Missouri that primarily fights to get rid of capital punishment and death row. That is our main goal. And, in doing that, we do a lot of different things.

Read the full article about exoneration from death row at The Real News Network.