Da Urban Conservative: A Modern-Day Lynching America's Broken Justice System

Welcome back to Da Urban Conservative, where we break down the issues facing our communities from a perspective you won’t hear anywhere else. Today’s topic is not just controversial—it’s a matter of life and death. We're talking about the death penalty, state executions, and how they're often a modern-day lynching carried out under the guise of 'justice.' These are stories that should shake you to your core, and if they don’t—well, maybe it's time to take a hard look at why that is.
Part 1: Freddie Owens – A Restart to Executions in South Carolina
"Let’s begin with South Carolina, where the state restarted executions after a 13-year pause because they couldn’t get the drugs they needed. The first person to die under this renewed effort was Freddie Owens. Now, here’s a man who was convicted of killing a convenience store clerk during a robbery in 1997. Sure, the crime was heinous, but what’s equally disturbing is how the system seems to thrive on its thirst for punishment over justice.
Owens also killed another inmate during his trial, and after that, he was sentenced to death. Fast forward 26 years later, and the state was able to procure the drugs to execute him—making Owens the first person to face this modern-day lynching since South Carolina hit pause on its death penalty.
I want you to really think about this. Owens was strapped to a gurney, arms outstretched like someone being crucified, as he awaited his final moments. How is this different from the public lynchings that terrorized Black communities in America for centuries? The only difference is that now it’s sanctioned by the state."
Part 2: Marcellus Williams – Justice Denied in Missouri
"Then there’s the case of Marcellus Williams in Missouri. This brother was executed despite overwhelming evidence calling into question his guilt. Convicted of murder in 1998, Williams’ case has long been criticized, with new evidence—like biased jury selection and potential contamination of the murder weapon—being brought to light. But none of that mattered. Not to the courts, not to the governor, not even to the U.S. Supreme Court.
And here’s the kicker: the victim’s own family asked for mercy, for the execution to be stayed. But the state didn’t listen. Marcellus was killed by lethal injection on a Tuesday evening. His attorneys fought for a stay, but their pleas fell on deaf ears. This wasn’t just an execution. This was a systemic failure to correct injustice.
Now, ask yourself: How many more Marcellus Williams are out there? How many innocent lives are being taken, or will be taken, by a system that has historically been weaponized against our communities?"
Part 3: The Bigger Picture – Racism and the Death Penalty
"We can’t look at cases like these without acknowledging the racial disparities in how the death penalty is applied. The numbers don’t lie: Black and brown people are disproportionately sentenced to death. And in cases like Williams’—where there are clear signs of a broken process—it’s not just a failure of the courts, but a deep-rooted reflection of America’s legacy of racial violence.
How is it that in 2024, with all the advancements we’ve made, we are still killing men who might be innocent? Why does our justice system cling to outdated, barbaric practices that serve no one but the machinery of death?"
Conclusion:
"So what does this all mean for us? It means we need to stay vigilant, because the death penalty isn’t just a relic of the past—it’s alive and well, and it’s being weaponized right now against people who look like us. This isn’t about being ‘soft on crime’—it’s about demanding a justice system that values life and recognizes its own flaws.