ENTERS COURT: Johnny Lee Williams is led into the 114th District Court at the Smith County Courthouse for his arraignment Thursday afternoon on a charge of aggravated kidnapping in the Megan LeAnn Holden case.
Posted on 02/04/2005 2:54:23 AM PST by NativeTexun
WILLIAMS RETURNED TO TYLER
ENTERS COURT: Johnny Lee Williams is led into the 114th District Court at the Smith County Courthouse for his arraignment Thursday afternoon on a charge of aggravated kidnapping in the Megan LeAnn Holden case.
By: CASEY KNAUPP, Staff Writer February 03, 2005
ENTERS COURT: Johnny Lee Williams is led into the 114th District Court at the Smith County Courthouse for his arraignment Thursday afternoon on a charge of aggravated kidnapping in the Megan LeAnn Holden case. (Staff Photo By David Branch)
The man accused of abducting and murdering a 19-year-old college student was flown Thursday to Tyler, where he appeared in court and announced he had retained counsel.
Johnny Lee Williams, Jr., 24, waived extradition to Texas after initially refusing to waive it. He was escorted from Arizona by Tyler police and Smith County sheriff's officials into Judge Cynthia Stevens Kent's 114th District Court.
The judge issued him his magistrate rights, informing him that he had a right to remain silent, a right to counsel and the right to an examining trial to determine probable cause prior to his indictment.
Williams was arrested on an aggravated kidnapping affidavit.
But Smith County District Attorney Matt Bingham announced in court Thursday that prosecutors are pursuing capital murder charges in light of new evidence.
Williams, when asked if he wanted court-appointed counsel, announced that he had retained Longview defense attorney Clifton "Scrappy" Holmes.
Williams spoke quietly when answering the judge's questions. He sat hanging his head during the court appearance, wearing a bulletproof vest, an orange jumpsuit and shackles.
Judge Kent found sufficient probable cause in the case and ordered he be escorted to the Smith County Jail. She set his bail at $1 million.
Williams is accused of abducting Megan LeAnn Holden, a Tyler Junior College student, on Jan. 19 from the Wal-Mart parking lot, 3820 Texas Highway 64 West, after her shift there as a clerk ended.
He allegedly followed her out to her truck and forced her in, taking her to West Texas, where he allegedly shot her to death and dumped her body in a ditch, police have said.
A clerk at a convenience store at an RV park near Bowie, Ariz., shot Williams in the shoulder as he allegedly attempted a robbery.
Authorities located Williams on Jan. 21 at a hospital in Willcox, Ariz., where he was seeking aid for a gunshot wound. Also found at the hospital was Ms. Holden's pickup.
A witness who apparently saw Williams at Wal-Mart the night of the kidnapping identified Williams out of a six-person photo lineup and described a tattoo on the suspect, the arrest affidavit states.
Judge Kent issued a restrictive and protective order limiting what those involved in the case can disseminate to the public.
Because of the "pre-trial publicity which has already occurred in the unindicted charged matter ... the court does find that it is necessary to enter this restrictive order to protect and provide for a fair and impartial trial if this matter results in a formal indictment and trial," the restrictive order states.
aggravated kidnapping?
Yea, the lawyers love to qualify everything.
Maybe there is something called únaggravated' kidnapping ( Judge, I did not know I was kidnapping her at the time)
Just curious as to why a murderer would be wearing a bullet- proof vest?
Remember Jack Ruby and Lee Harvey Oswald?
So one of us good ole boy Texans don't go over to Tyler and shoot the POS.
"Don't be worried he has a date with Ole sleepy head in Huntsville."
OK good, if that's the case then I don't care what they charge him with, just as long as the POS has worms for playmates soon.
Was the "Ex-Marine" line actually part of the articles' title?
What if they said a "registered Democrat", or mentioned what race he was? What does the branch of the armed service he served in have to do with anything???
"....as long as the POS has worms for playmates soon."
soon...even in Texas is too long for this POS.
Why doesn't the headline read:
1) Black man charged in aggravated assault?
2) Creep charged with aggravated assault?
3) Life's Flunky etc., etc.?
...because it doesn't fit the MSM propagandist agenda. That's why.
"the government did not do enough to help him readjust to civilian life. They trained him to be a killer, but not to return to society."
Marine eh???
reminds me of Full Metal Jacket, with R. Lee Ermy telling the recruits about how good of a shot marines are. Like Charles Whitman(I believe that was the 'Texas Tower'sniper)and Lee Harvely Oswald.
Dad was a Marine and he went on to be a peace officer for 22 years in the 'Four/One', Fort Apache in the South Bronx...how come he never got a headline..."Ex Marine risks life, protecting bodegas in the Bronx.....feeds his family too boot, after risking life on Guadlecanal and Bougainville"
Because that would pay homage to true American values, and also has nothing to do with promoting Socialist "progressive" politics.
Our fathers were great men.
Your post is insulting to worms!
:-)
"Marine eh???"
Actually this perp was booted out of the Marines for drug use. The proper term is "Shixtcanned marine". Note the lack of capitalization on the word "Marine".
Us Texans tend to get PO'd around scumbag murderers.
This guy makes a strong case for a little vigilantism...
Because there are a lot of people who would like to see justice handled immediately, and not wait for the long trial, long appeal and even longer time before he is legally put to death.
And make no mistake about it, he will be on Death Row!
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