129 Comments

I read every word, slowly and with care, David. Thank you for writing this.

I'm firstly holding love in my heart and putting out vibes of kaha and strength, to the whānau of both Lisha and Marcellus.

His son's words at the end, will stay with me forever. Thanks to you.

I can't even talk about the heartbreak and horror it is to bear witness to you bearing witness. But I will instead try and focus on the solidarity and hope that is also stamped throughout this story.

Ngā mihi. Such good work here David.

Expand full comment
author

Thanks for taking the time Marama - I know you're insanely busy, but imagine we're very aligned on this one. Meeting Marcellus Jr at the end was almost too much; I am working on an audio version of this story, and just hearing the tone of his voice. The fact he wandered over to spend some time, after what had just happened, sort of boggles my mind. But he's stronger than most. Again - thanks for reading.

Expand full comment
Sep 27Liked by David Farrier

Tautoko.

Arohanui Marama 💚

Arohanui David 💜

Arohanui Khaliifah 🕊️

Expand full comment
Sep 27Liked by David Farrier

Thanks for writing this. RIP Marcellus.

As horrible as murdering an innocent man is, guilt or innocence doesn't factor in to it for me. We as a society shouldn't kill people, full stop. It reminds me of something someone said about conservatism once:

"Conservatism consists of exactly one proposition, to wit: There must be in-groups whom the law protects but does not bind, alongside out-groups whom the law binds but does not protect."

The modern Republican party in a nutshell.

Expand full comment
author

To be clear, I very much agree.

No state mandated murder, ever.

I also think the innocence arguement needs to be made to bring some people across, and snap their brains out of it!

Expand full comment
Sep 27Liked by David Farrier

Oh yeah, I absolutely understand why this was their argument. I didn't mean to imply I knew better than the people who devoted their entire lives to this. And at the very least Marcellus deserves to have his innocence widely known.

I guess what I meant to say was, it's so daunting how far we have to go if we can't even stop them from killing an innocent man.

Expand full comment
author

That's the thing - I am stunned many can't accept that simple bit of logic. After this trip, it makes me want to scream!

Expand full comment
Sep 27Liked by David Farrier

Welcome to America: for every thing you love about it, there's two things that will make you want to scream.

I think a lot of people in this country don't think of government as something to make their own lives better, but to make other people's lives worse.

Expand full comment

To be honest I find less and less to love about it as time marches on and I become more painfully aware of who we are and always have been.

Expand full comment
Sep 27·edited Sep 27Liked by David Farrier

Thanks for this.

As a lifelong Wisconsinite (we were the first state to entirely abolish the death penalty for all crimes - back in 1853) I don't understand this any more than you do. St. Louis is a short 5-hour drive from my house, but on Tuesday it may as well have been 5 days or 5 weeks. I suspect capital punishment has always been rooted in our country's obsession with Christianity. I feel like I should have a better understanding, having grown up in a conservative Christian household. But even then, as far right as I was in high school, the death penalty always seemed WRONG.

I *do not* understand. (And the radio silence from the President and Vice President this week does not give me hope that I - or we - are any closer to understanding.)

Long live Marcellus Williams.

Expand full comment
author

The Christian thing, for sure. I think Shane's recent piece hit the nail on the head (for anyone reading this who missed it): https://www.webworm.co/p/spanking

"In Australia, YouTube ranter and former Pentecostal Evangelist Pat Mesiti is exasperated that you’re not even allowed to put an ankle monitor on a child. And over in the United States, Evangelicals disproportionately support state executions. It’s weird. And given they have a not-insignificant voting block behind them, it’s a force worth taking seriously."

Expand full comment
Sep 27·edited Sep 27Liked by David Farrier

What often gets lost in the debate is just how cruel everything *before* the execution is, too. I cannot imagine the trauma associated with just existing on death row - the not knowing - let alone being strapped to a gurney, receiving a stay, only to have to experience it all over again. Straight-up psychological torture.

This is to say nothing about how many American executions are botched executions. Absolute brutality all the way down from the moment someone is sentenced to death. And still we line the act with little "niceties" like final meals and last statements which has always sort of angered me even more - acknowledging the humanity of the person we're treating so inhumanely. Words don't do justice to how despicable it all is.

Expand full comment
author

This Last Week Tonight epi for anyone who missed it, too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOn3wba8c-Y

Expand full comment
Sep 28Liked by David Farrier

Jon Oliver actually did a REALLY good (and horrifying) segment on how capital punishment is actually highly unconstitutional BECAUSE as much as pro-death-penalty advocates claim that it's 'humane', there seems to be good evidence that whatever method they use ACTUALLY causes suffering for the person being killed.

(Looking it up, he's actually done 3 segments on the death penalty, one 10 years ago, one 5 years ago, and another 5 months ago).

It seems so senseless to me. Because what good does it do? It won't undo the harm of whatever crime they committed. It won't bring victims back.

As the saying goes "An eye for an eye leaves us both blind."

Expand full comment
Sep 27Liked by David Farrier

I think there's a combination of a "revenge" mentality and also a "these others didn't live up to the standards we say are the right ones" that are involved in the perspectives of the judicial system and convictions, along with the public "burn them at the stake" mentality. It seems that those who are the most supportive of the current institution have limited to no involvement with it, and that when that system often chooses to abuse its power in their direction then that perspective shifts. I watched that happen in three different independent situations recently and even for those where the crime was committed the treatment from the judicial system, corrections system, and the public is something where I found great disappointment.

Expand full comment
Sep 27Liked by David Farrier

As is often the case, the Democrats fail to take a strong stance on a matter of justice. As they did with same-sex marriage (for example), I imagine they'll eventually get there but it's a long schlep through molasses. It's why I can't find it in myself to be enthusiastic about Harris-Walz even with the cutesy charming image they're cultivating. 🙄

Expand full comment

I was briefly enthused after the selection of Walz but ever since then they've seemed to be chasing Trump to the right. It's an, uhhhhhhh, interesting strategy and we'll see if it works out for them. No matter what happens, I'm sure the party will take away all the wrong lessons from the result. :(

Expand full comment
Sep 27Liked by David Farrier

Thank you for sharing this, David. It feels like the eyes of the world were on Missouri this week. I personally see everyone who could have stopped this execution and didn't as complicit in murder. The death penalty has no place in civilisation.

Expand full comment
author

The race stuff just becomes so, so obvious in this part of America. I mean I know it intellectually, but being there - *fuck me*. I am glad so many eyes turned to this case - as Elyse said to me at one point, even if people came to that case late (like I did), at least there are some new brains aware of this horrific thing - and they can focus on advocating from now on.

Expand full comment
Sep 27Liked by David Farrier

Getting your perspective on racial problems in America has been weirdly eye-opening for me. I was born and raised in the south; I live in a majority black city; I had "passing" great-grandmothers. According to the "one-drop rule" of the 20th century South that was meant to uphold white supremacy, I'm black; my skin is so lily white it's translucent. But I have ancestors who were enslaved.

Where I live, the history of slavery and segregation, and continued racial oppression is and has always been a tangible fact of life. This is plantation country. Martin Luther King, Jr. first gave the first version of his "I have a dream" speech in my city, at the high school my mom would later attend. My parents were born not even half a decade after segregation ended.

I feel like I'm keenly aware of and blind to all of it. And I think it's your continued surprise when confronted with the reality that brings it into sharper focus for me. It's a much appreciated jolt. 🙏

Expand full comment
author

Thanks for being here for it - and also you are living through all this, so your own experiences are valid and it's good for me to hear them. But yeah, thanks for listening to this weirdo from New Zealand harp on!

Expand full comment
Sep 27Liked by David Farrier

I have no words after reading all that. Sending nothing but love to you, Marcellus's family, everyone who was there fighting for what's right. I got a big lump in my throat reading the bit from his son. I cant even imagine trying to process all of this. What a heavy piece this was. I appreciate you for sharing it though and telling the story ❤️.

Expand full comment
author

I had a big lump in my throat when he was talking to me. Found it hard to hold it together. He was holding it together better than I was.

Thanks for reading this very long piece till the end.

Expand full comment
Sep 27Liked by David Farrier

Thanks for going out there, David. For witnessing, for listening and asking questions, and for sharing this difficult, heartbreaking story with us. I just donated to the Innocence Project in honor of Khaliifah. For anyone else thinking about donating, they are currently matching all donations up to $20k received by Oct 6th for Wrongful Conviction Day.

Expand full comment
author

Both the organisations I met do such amazing work; Innocence Project on the legal side, and MADP on the advocacy side. Thanks for donating. This is just such incredibly important work.

Expand full comment

I read yesterday that Alabama have/will put to death two men by the way of nitrogen asphyxiation - who both had previous botched execution attempts by lethal injection.

Complete savagery.

Expand full comment
author

The drug stuff is insane. I didn't even touch on that here, but c/- https://innocenceproject.org/time-is-running-out-urge-gov-parson-to-stop-the-execution-of-marcellus-williams/

"Notably, Missouri has executed several people before all of their appeals were technically done.

The pentobarbital used by the state of Missouri was banned for use in executions by the manufacturer, but the state is still able to get the drug. The majority of pharmaceutical companies have stopped supplying drugs for use in executions after years of pressure from advocates. As supplies have become less available, states have illegally imported drugs across state lines and some states, including Missouri, have purchased the drugs from compounding pharmacies, which formulate drugs that are not available at commercial pharmacies.

(Compounding pharmacies are not required to register with the FDA or inform the FDA of what drugs they are making.)

Missouri buys the drugs used for their executions in cash from an unknown source."

Expand full comment
Sep 27Liked by David Farrier

i’m sure you’ve probably seen it but John Oliver has a fucking diabolical episode on this execution drug topic. absolutely insane: https://youtu.be/SOn3wba8c-Y?si=E7ztjZsifm1bVFqN

Expand full comment
author

This was such a fucking hard watch. Thanks Kate. He's on The Daily podcast today and a good listen about his process. God that show is amazing.

Expand full comment

jesus t. f. christ….

Great to know the electric chair is still used as a primary and secondary choice is some states too. Just incase the whole drug thing gets outlawed.

Expand full comment
Sep 27Liked by David Farrier

Thank you for writing this. I read earlier and stepped away for a moment to think/stew.

The American criminal justice system is a wasteland built on racist ideology and sustained by greed and evil. "Bodily control over all" is really the American way when it comes down to it. Rules only apply when it's someone in power finding a way to make a point to someone they find inferior. I don't think this is unique to us, but damn, are we good at being monstrous.

I'm proudly from an anti-death penalty state. Apparently, Michigan was the first state to abolish it for everything but treason in 1846. Now, we need to work on everyone imprisoned for minor charges on now-legal drugs...

Expand full comment
author

Everything but treason - going against the country must equal death! America is such a fucking odd place, Alicia. Thanks for reading this story. A long worm.

Expand full comment
Sep 27Liked by David Farrier

The UK had a bit of everything but treason too. Treason and piracy with violence were punishable by death in the UK until 1998. For all other crimes it was abolished in 1969.

Expand full comment
Sep 27Liked by David Farrier

"And so Missouri failed. Missouri was actually the last slave holding state, the last state to actually get rid of enslavement. And so that is one reason that our state still holds to things like the death penalty."

I did not know this, as someone educated in US public schools.

Thank you for this intensely close up coverage. The narrative style you used is...very, very effective.

I am thankful that it seems like Marcellus and his son were able to find peace.

Quick related note here: a massive hurricane made landfall in Florida last night. Many people are under mandatory evacuation orders.

Florida did not evacuate the prisons in the storm's path.

https://twitter.com/IncarcerNation/status/1839412078236602486

Expand full comment
Sep 27Liked by David Farrier

You got it in a nutshell. Those who shout the loudest about being "pro life" are invariably in favour of the death penalty and the right to bear "arms", ie military style guns.

Suburban/small town social life in USA, tends to revolve around family and church. This is not a good situation for being exposed to new or opposing ideas and points of view and means that many USAnians remain entrenched in their ways, largely because they have never been offered an alternative point of view. The fact that their local media is intensely parochial doesn't help. This is how you have a situation of essentially good and kind people having horribly regressive views: they are, essentially, fundamentally uneducated, unable to reason and unaware that there are other ways of looking at life.

A country that accepts and promotes judicial murder is, at the most profound level, uncivilized.

Expand full comment
Sep 27Liked by David Farrier

I was stunned when I heard about Marcellus’ case. While I have a head full of thoughts, I have no words. This is a hauntingly beautiful piece of journalism, David. Thank you.

Expand full comment
author

Thanks for reading it all - part of me worries about writing things long, but this one needed to be I think.

Expand full comment

Long is good! No wasted words here.

Expand full comment
Sep 27Liked by David Farrier

Thank you for this story David. I had been following closely and hoping for a stay while knowing it was unlikely to happen. I’ve always been very anti death penalty. Because like others said in the piece there’s no coming back from that, even if the person is later proved innocent. My state is unfortunately one that still has the death penalty on the books though no one’s actually been executed here in the last 25 years. Trying to channel some of Marcellus Jrs peace and optimism when the world feels so evil and I feel so helpless to change it.

Expand full comment
author

What state are you in? It must be a strange background noise, in a way. I dunno. Maybe it's just normal.

This all makes me think of Stephen King's The Green Mile - probably the first time a bit of pop culture made me feel rage.

Expand full comment
Sep 27Liked by David Farrier

I’m in Pennsylvania. It’s a bit of an odd state in certain ways. We have a bunch of people sitting on death row that we won’t execute but we also won’t abolish the death penalty.

Expand full comment
Sep 27Liked by David Farrier

Thank you for sharing this in the way only you can communicate. I can’t imagine what it was like to experience - for you and especially for Marcellus. But I think it’s so important for us to feel this anguish. It has to mean something, or what the fuck is all this for. So grateful for the people on the ground and the Innocence Project. Going to go make a donation now.

Expand full comment
author

This is not about me, but I will say this was *rough* internally on the heart and brain. The advocates I met are steeped in this stuff, and I came away with infinite admiration and a new understanding of what they put themselves through on behalf of others.

Expand full comment
Sep 27Liked by David Farrier

I didn't want to read this story but I needed to. Thank you for personalizing, for humanizing this dreadful process. It's ghoulish.

The Innocence Project, the Against and Marcellus' family are remarkable for their grace and patience.

Expand full comment
author

Thanks for pushing through - it's a mark of respect to Marcellus and all those advocates, in a way. Thank you.

Expand full comment
Sep 27Liked by David Farrier

This is absolutely gut-wrenching, unjust, horrifying to see how the system and process just drives inexorably towards its predetermined outcome with no regard for new information or past errors. That the opportunity of a stay is based on the (hoped for) goodwill and whim of one person is just sickening. I’m full of emotion and lost for words. A heavy, but incredibly important issue to highlight, thank you.

Expand full comment
author

Thanks for taking the time, I know it was a fucking long read! No other way to do it, I think.

Expand full comment
Sep 27Liked by David Farrier

This was truly a awful read.

Thank you for writing it though David and for caring and bearing witness to this horrific event.

I must say l have become increasingly worried for you in America lately.

I know you like to be able to delve into the shitty things that happen in the world. But there is just SO such shit there.

I hope you are taking care of you, and that you get to pet some cute animals today.

Please come back home and do a pop up in Wellington.

Hugs from Wellington which is having a very good day.

Expand full comment