ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — Former death row inmates who were cleared of their crimes have a message for Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey.
The group wants Bailey to put a second set of eyes on a 1998 murder case involving Marcellus Williams, who is on death row.
A news release said its purpose was "To call out Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey and his office for his callous attitude towards the possibility of executing an innocent person."
Thursday morning, death row exonerees led by Witness to Innocence told their testimonies.
"I know what he's going through," said Joseph Amrine from Kansas City, Missouri.
The four exonerated men advocated for Williams.
For more than 20 years, Williams has claimed his innocence in the stabbing murder of Lisha Gayle, a St. Louis Post Dispatch reporter.
This year, St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell fights to overturn the conviction, pointing to new DNA evidence.
Bailey filed a motion to block that hearing from happening in August, however the Missouri Supreme Court came back last week saying, the hearing will continue.
Midwest Innocence Project Executive Director Tricia Rojo Bushnell said, "Marcellus is a man of faith and he leans heavily on his faith... he's looking at that to get him through this as well."
Bushnell pointed out that this is Williams' third execution date.
"Why would we keep innocent people in prison?" Bushnell inquired. "The question is why, why are we afraid of the truth? Why wouldn't we want to come forward and why don't we want to be sure of convictions and steps that we can't come back from?"
Joseph Amrine knows how traumatic the experience can be. He faced death row for 17 years. He was behind bars for 27.
"I was exonerated in 2003 and last week was my 21st year of being out. I went five years with no appeals and could've gotten executed," Amrine shared.
Amrine said while in prison, he knew of four inmates on death row who were exonerated.
To this day, Amrine seeks psychiatric help for the pain prison caused him.
5 On Your Side has reached out multiple times to the Attorney General's Office for a response and interview. We have not heard back.
Williams' next hearing date is Aug. 21. His execution is scheduled for Sept. 24.
