Williams v. Texas

In December 2014, a jury convicted Eric Williams of capital murder, for which he was sentenced to death. Direct appeal to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals was automatic. Williams was tried for the shooting deaths of Kaufman County District Attorney Mike McLelland and his wife Cynthia in what was described as a “torrent of lead.” Williams was also accused of killing McLelland’s assistant, Mark Hasse. Hasse was shot as he arrived for work; the McLellands were shot in their home. Williams was alleged to have planned the shootings because Mr. McLelland prosecuted Williams in 2012 for allegedly stealing government property (two computer monitors), for which Williams lost his elected position as a justice of the peace. A licensed attorney, Williams was also disbarred. Williams raised forty points of error; the Court found no merit any. Consequently, it affirmed the trial court’s judgment and sentence of death. View "Williams v. Texas" on Justia Law