Posted on 10/26/2004 8:45:39 PM PDT by SmithL
DALLAS -- A judge welcomed a former fugitive back to her courtroom with balloons, streamers and a cake before sentencing him to life in prison.
"You just made my day when I heard you had finally come home," Judge Faith Johnson told Billy Wayne Williams, who had been convicted in absentia of aggravated assault after he disappeared a year ago. "We're so excited to see you, we're throwing a party for you."
Williams, 53, who has a criminal record dating to the 1980s, was accused of choking his girlfriend until she passed out. He failed to appear for his trial last November and was captured Thursday at a gas station in suburban Arlington.
Before he was brought into the courtroom on Monday, the judge directed staff members as they placed balloons and streamers around the courtroom. A colorful cake was decorated with his name and one candle to signify the year he spent on the lam.
"It seems like everyone wants to have a party, and it's fun for you people, but not for me," Williams told reporters as he was led away in handcuffs.
Seana Willing, executive director of the Texas Commission on Judicial Conduct, said she found the incident troubling.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
This sounds weird. A court room is not a place to party.
Hah, don't mess with Texas.
Her joke will probably get this murdering bum off the hook.
Don't ya love Texas justice?
Awww, I'm getting all choked up .... boo-hoo-hoo
I don't know anything about the guy's past record, but at face value life in prison for simple assault seems excessive and inconsistent.
Williams...WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH
I realized after re-reading that he choked her, but did not actually kill her. So I will strike the word "murdering" from my comment, and just leave it at "bum." In any event, no contributor to the betterment of society.
Who in the world does this judge think that she is. I fully understand and appreciate levity in life, but officiating in a courtroom is NO place to practice it. She should be reprimanded heavily.
Now, how does that work?
I think they had the trial, and he fled before sentencing, but I could be wrong.
It wasn't simple assault. It was aggravated assault and he was let out of prison in 84 for murder.
Don't ignore the articles implication that he has a long record of assaults...
I like it: humiliation should be a part of punishment.
If his record was that bad to begin with, then strike my comments and way to go Texas!
Yeah, imagine how fun it was for your girlfriend to get beaten....
Good for the judge!
No, I think convicted "in absentia" means he was not there when they convicted him. Plus, once someone is convicted of a serious violent felony, are they allowed to go home on their bail before the sentencing phase or are they automatically held in custody before the sentencing?
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