Headline: Death Row Inmate Requests Supreme Court Stay of Execution, Citing Violation of Due Process Rights

In a desperate plea to save his life, a death row inmate in Missouri has filed a request with the US Supreme Court for a stay of execution. The inmate, who fervently maintains his innocence, argues that his due process rights were infringed upon during the prolonged legal battle to spare him from his scheduled execution, set to take place in less than one week.

Lawyers representing the inmate, whose name is Williams, highlight in court documents that former Missouri Governor Eric Greitens had previously halted Williams' execution indefinitely. Greitens went on to form a board to thoroughly investigate Williams' case, with the aim of determining whether he deserved clemency.

Remarkably, the board continued its investigation into Williams' case for six years - that is, until Governor Michael Parson abruptly terminated the process. Upon taking office, Parson dissolved the board and revoked the stay of execution, which, according to Williams' lawyers, deprived him of his fundamental right to due process.

"The Governor's actions have violated Williams' constitutional rights and created an exceptionally urgent need for the Court's attention," assert the court documents filed by Williams' legal team.

Court documents also reveal that earlier this year, the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney acknowledged constitutional errors in Williams' original criminal trial. These errors included the exclusion of at least one African American prospective juror solely on the basis of race. Such issues would have been crucial factors for the Board of Inquiry to consider when evaluating whether clemency should be recommended instead of execution, had the Governor not dissolved the board.

Prosecutors did raise these concerns in a motion to vacate Williams' conviction, but unfortunately, a judge rejected the motion earlier this month. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) has now stepped in, imploring Governor Parson to intervene and halt Williams' execution. The NAACP highlights that the death penalty has historically been disproportionately applied in a racially disparate manner, particularly in the state of Missouri.

In an open letter addressed to Governor Parson, NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson and Missouri State Conference President Nimrod Chapel Jr. vehemently argue against carrying out Williams' execution. They write, "Killing Mr. Williams, a Black man who was wrongfully convicted of killing a White woman, would amount to a horrible miscarriage of justice and a perpetuation of the worst of Missouri's past."

As the Supreme Court reviews the inmate's plea for a stay of execution, the fate of Williams hangs in the balance. Many are watching closely, hoping that justice will prevail and his due process rights will be safeguarded.