Williams v. State

The trial court did not abuse its discretion in reprimanding defense counsel for using inappropriate language questioning the state's failure to introduce witnesses or other evidence regarding crime lab toxicology reports that the parties stipulated to prior to trial.

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Timothy Shawn Williams appeals his convictions for malice murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony in connection with the fatal shooting of Earl Welch. Williams challenges the convictions on the grounds that his closing argument was improperly limited in content and that he suffered ineffective assistance of trial counsel. Finding the challenges to be without merit, we affirm.1 The evidence construed in favor of the verdicts showed that in the early hours of March 7, 2003, Williams drove to Brisendine Road in McDonough. He was armed with a loaded 9 millimeter semi-automatic pistol. Williams parked his car and walked around the street corner to speak with a young man called “Pop” and was told by Earl Welch and some others that “Pop” was in jail. Williams walked across the street with Welch. Williams and Welch had a verbal exchange about money and drugs. Welch left, and returned with another man. Williams drew his pistol and shot Welch in the chest, fatally wounding him.

Williams ran to his car which was parked out of sight and fled the scene. He returned home and attempted to hide his car. The police came to Williams’s home and found him hiding in a closet. The pistol used in the shooting was hidden in the cushions of Williams’s sofa. Williams gave a statement to the police, in which he initially denied involvement in the shooting; he said he was home with his dog. Williams then admitted he shot Welch, explaining that he had done so because Welch and another man had “done him wrong.” During the interview, Williams did not show any remorse over the shooting.

Williams v. State

The trial court did not abuse its discretion in reprimanding defense counsel for using inappropriate language questioning the state's failure to introduce witnesses or other evidence regarding crime lab toxicology reports that the parties stipulated to prior to trial.

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