Post by Anja Nieser on Sept 26, 2006 16:27:40 GMT -5
PATHOLOGIST, POLICE TESTIFY IN WILLIAMS TRIAL
Smith County jurors continued hearing the state's evidence Monday in the
capital murder trial of Clifton Lamar Williams, including testimony from
police and a pathologist.
Williams, 22, of Tyler, is accused of beating, strangling and stabbing to
death 93-year-old Cecelia Schneider and setting her body on fire on July
9, 2005. If convicted, he faces life in prison or the death penalty.
Dr. Reade Quintin, a pathologist for the Dallas County Medical Examiner's
Office, testified that Ms. Schneider was stabbed 4 times and 3 of the
wounds could have independently caused her death.
A 6 1/2 inch wound to her left chest went through her heart and penetrated
her left lung while two stab wounds to her upper right chest each
penetrated her right lung and one went into her aorta, said Quintin, who
performed the autopsy on Ms. Schneider.
The victim also suffered a stab wound to her right arm and had cuts
consistent with defensive wounds on her hand, he said.
Quintin said the stab wounds were consistent with a kitchen knife, like
that believed to have been used in the murder. He said the stab wounds,
inflicted when she was alive, would have been painful.
He said there was also evidence of strangulation and blunt force injuries
to her head and neck. He said the woman died before her body was set on
fire.
Jurors also heard the rest of a 4 1/2-hour audio-taped interview Tyler
police did with Williams on July 18, 2005, when he led them to the knife
in a Smith County pond and the victim's purse and other personal
belongings.
Tyler Police Detective Clay Perrett testified that statements made by
Williams during 2 interviews with police were inconsistent and he believed
some of the "stories" he told were lies.
Williams told the police a man named "Montrell" killed Ms. Schneider but
forced him at gunpoint to come with him and drive the victim's car.
Perrett said "Montrell" was investigated but never developed as a suspect
in the murder case. He said nothing connected him to the case except for
the statements made by Williams.
Perrett said Williams tried to implicate "Montrell," whom he knew gave
information to police.
The detective testified that no DNA or fingerprint evidence was found in
Ms. Schneider's house, 311 Callahan St., or on the knife matching Williams
or "Montrell." Perrett said Williams' fingerprint was found on the
victim's Toyota Camry.
Perrett said it is common for a suspect to change stories and to say
someone set him up, as Williams did.
A criminalist testified earlier that Williams' DNA matched blood and other
evidence found in the victim's car. He said a mixture of Williams' and Ms.
Schneider's blood was also discovered in the car.
The trial is set to resume Tuesday for the 6th day of state's evidence in
114th District Judge Cynthia Stevens Kent's court.
Smith County District Attorney Matt Bingham and First Assistant DA April
Sikes are prosecuting the case, while defense attorneys Melvin Thompson
and LaJuanda Lacy are representing Williams.
Trial Recap
On Tuesday, the 1st day of Clifton Lamar Williams' murder trial,
prosecutors and defense attorneys outlined the evidence they would submit
to the jury. A neighbor of victim Cecelia Schneider testified that he
notified authorities after seeing smoke come from her home and several
Tyler firefighters testified about responding to the fire and finding the
body.
On Wednesday, a fire expert said two separate fires, on the bed and the
victim, could have burned for 10 hours or longer before they were
discovered. A Tyler Police sergeant testified about evidence he collected
at the victim's home and in her car discovered wrecked.
On Thursday, the jury watched a 30-minute videotaped interview Williams
did with police the night he was detained, July 15, 2005. Williams denied
any involvement in Ms. Schneider's death. An alternate juror was
discharged from service after he injured his back.
On Friday, jurors heard an audio-recorded interview when Williams led
police to the knife used in the murder, as well as the victim's purse and
other personal belongings. Williams told police during the interview that
another man stabbed the victim and made him go along with him and drive
the stolen car. A DNA analyst testified that Williams' blood was found in
the victim's car.
(source: Tyler Morning Telegraph)
Smith County jurors continued hearing the state's evidence Monday in the
capital murder trial of Clifton Lamar Williams, including testimony from
police and a pathologist.
Williams, 22, of Tyler, is accused of beating, strangling and stabbing to
death 93-year-old Cecelia Schneider and setting her body on fire on July
9, 2005. If convicted, he faces life in prison or the death penalty.
Dr. Reade Quintin, a pathologist for the Dallas County Medical Examiner's
Office, testified that Ms. Schneider was stabbed 4 times and 3 of the
wounds could have independently caused her death.
A 6 1/2 inch wound to her left chest went through her heart and penetrated
her left lung while two stab wounds to her upper right chest each
penetrated her right lung and one went into her aorta, said Quintin, who
performed the autopsy on Ms. Schneider.
The victim also suffered a stab wound to her right arm and had cuts
consistent with defensive wounds on her hand, he said.
Quintin said the stab wounds were consistent with a kitchen knife, like
that believed to have been used in the murder. He said the stab wounds,
inflicted when she was alive, would have been painful.
He said there was also evidence of strangulation and blunt force injuries
to her head and neck. He said the woman died before her body was set on
fire.
Jurors also heard the rest of a 4 1/2-hour audio-taped interview Tyler
police did with Williams on July 18, 2005, when he led them to the knife
in a Smith County pond and the victim's purse and other personal
belongings.
Tyler Police Detective Clay Perrett testified that statements made by
Williams during 2 interviews with police were inconsistent and he believed
some of the "stories" he told were lies.
Williams told the police a man named "Montrell" killed Ms. Schneider but
forced him at gunpoint to come with him and drive the victim's car.
Perrett said "Montrell" was investigated but never developed as a suspect
in the murder case. He said nothing connected him to the case except for
the statements made by Williams.
Perrett said Williams tried to implicate "Montrell," whom he knew gave
information to police.
The detective testified that no DNA or fingerprint evidence was found in
Ms. Schneider's house, 311 Callahan St., or on the knife matching Williams
or "Montrell." Perrett said Williams' fingerprint was found on the
victim's Toyota Camry.
Perrett said it is common for a suspect to change stories and to say
someone set him up, as Williams did.
A criminalist testified earlier that Williams' DNA matched blood and other
evidence found in the victim's car. He said a mixture of Williams' and Ms.
Schneider's blood was also discovered in the car.
The trial is set to resume Tuesday for the 6th day of state's evidence in
114th District Judge Cynthia Stevens Kent's court.
Smith County District Attorney Matt Bingham and First Assistant DA April
Sikes are prosecuting the case, while defense attorneys Melvin Thompson
and LaJuanda Lacy are representing Williams.
Trial Recap
On Tuesday, the 1st day of Clifton Lamar Williams' murder trial,
prosecutors and defense attorneys outlined the evidence they would submit
to the jury. A neighbor of victim Cecelia Schneider testified that he
notified authorities after seeing smoke come from her home and several
Tyler firefighters testified about responding to the fire and finding the
body.
On Wednesday, a fire expert said two separate fires, on the bed and the
victim, could have burned for 10 hours or longer before they were
discovered. A Tyler Police sergeant testified about evidence he collected
at the victim's home and in her car discovered wrecked.
On Thursday, the jury watched a 30-minute videotaped interview Williams
did with police the night he was detained, July 15, 2005. Williams denied
any involvement in Ms. Schneider's death. An alternate juror was
discharged from service after he injured his back.
On Friday, jurors heard an audio-recorded interview when Williams led
police to the knife used in the murder, as well as the victim's purse and
other personal belongings. Williams told police during the interview that
another man stabbed the victim and made him go along with him and drive
the stolen car. A DNA analyst testified that Williams' blood was found in
the victim's car.
(source: Tyler Morning Telegraph)