Marcellus Williams to Another Four Prisoners Set for Death in Five States in a Week
In a rare and alarming week, five death row inmates in different U.S. states are scheduled to be executed, defying a longstanding trend of declining use of the death penalty. This surge comes as support for capital punishment has waned in recent years. If all five executions proceed, it will mark the first time in over 20 years—since July 2003—that so many inmates are executed in such a short span, according to the nonprofit Death Penalty Information Center (DPIC). The DPIC, which does not take a stance on the death penalty itself, has raised concerns about the methods states use to carry out these executions.
If all scheduled executions are completed this week, it will bring the total number of executions in the United States to 1,600 since the death penalty was reinstated by the Supreme Court in 1976. “It’s highly unusual to have this many executions in such a short time,” said Robin Maher, the executive director of the DPIC. “Two in a single day is rare, and four in two days during the same week is even more so.”
Why Are So Many Executions Happening This Week?
Experts point to a convergence of factors rather than a coordinated effort. Eric Berger, a law professor specializing in the death penalty, noted that the scheduling of five executions within one week is largely due to the timing of court rulings and officials setting dates after inmates exhausted their appeals. “There doesn’t appear to be a specific reason other than coincidence,” Berger explained. Other contributing factors include states overcoming challenges in obtaining lethal injection drugs and ending execution moratoriums due to previously botched executions.
The States Involved
South Carolina
On Friday, South Carolina carried out its first execution in 13 years, putting Freddie Owens to death for the 1997 murder of a convenience store clerk. The state had faced delays in executions due to difficulties in acquiring lethal injection drugs. To resume executions, South Carolina switched to a single-drug protocol using pentobarbital.
Missouri
On Tuesday, Marcellus Williams was executed in Missouri for the 1998 murder of a woman in University City, a suburb of St. Louis. Despite his lawyers’ last-minute attempts to halt the execution, citing errors in jury selection and the handling of evidence, Missouri’s Supreme Court denied the appeals, and Governor Mike Parson rejected a clemency request.
Texas
Also on Tuesday, Texas executed Travis Mullis, who was convicted of killing his infant son in 2008. Despite his long history of mental illness and his attempts to waive further appeals, Mullis was executed by lethal injection. He is the fourth inmate executed in Texas this year, making it the nation’s leading state in capital punishment.
Alabama
On Thursday, Alabama plans to execute Alan Miller using nitrogen hypoxia, a controversial new method where the inmate is forced to inhale pure nitrogen. This would be only the second time the method has been used. Miller’s previous execution was delayed in 2022 after difficulties with administering an IV during his lethal injection.
Oklahoma
Emmanuel Littlejohn is scheduled to be executed on Thursday in Oklahoma for his involvement in a 1992 robbery that ended in the death of a convenience store owner. Although Littlejohn has admitted his role in the robbery, he maintains that he did not fire the fatal shot. Last month, Oklahoma’s Pardon and Parole Board voted 3-2 in favor of sparing his life, but Governor Kevin Stitt has yet to make a clemency decision.
A Grim Milestone
If these executions are carried out as planned, the U.S. will reach 1,600 executions since 1976, a stark reminder of the ongoing debate surrounding the death penalty. The convergence of these executions in one week highlights both the complexities and the continued controversies surrounding capital punishment in the United States.
As these executions unfold, the debate over the death penalty, its fairness, and the methods used to carry it out will undoubtedly intensify.
Read More: Amazing Virat Kohli Age, Height, Bio, Income, Net Worth, Relationships, and Family in 2024
FAQs
1. Why are five executions being scheduled in one week?
The scheduling of five executions within one week is largely due to timing coincidences. Courts and state officials set execution dates after death row inmates exhaust their legal appeals. There’s no coordinated effort behind this, but it highlights the complexities of the death penalty system in the U.S.
2. When was the last time so many executions happened in a short span?
This is the first time in over 20 years—since July 2003—that five executions have been scheduled within a single week. The sudden cluster of executions is considered highly unusual.
