On Friday, the Evangeline Parish District Attorney’s Office increased the charge against a Ville Platte woman who was recently arrested for negligent homicide.
During a bond hearing in 13th Judicial District Judge Chuck West’s courtroom, Assistant District Attorney Nicole Gil, on behalf of the State of Louisiana, announced that the district attorney’s office had issued an amended bill of indictment against Jessica Williams and that she is now being charged with second degree murder.
The new charge also prompted the A.D.A. to request that the 25-year-old’s bond be increased from $125,000.00 to held without bond.
Williams, who was appointed Alex “Sonny” Chapman as her attorney on June 15th, was arrested on June 14, 2018 after officers were dispatched to her location at 306 West Lincoln Road for a complaint about an unresponsive black male. The unresponsive male was identified as Kenneth Hall.
In a previous release from the Ville Platte Police Department, it stated that “upon arrival the officers discovered that there had been a domestic dispute,” and that the black male subject “was pronounced dead by the coroner.”
To show probable cause for the new charge against Williams, Gil called Detective Alex Dunn, with the VPPD, to the stand.
While testifying, Detective Dunn shared that the defendant originally told investigators that the victim had fallen on a knife that was left in a chair. However, injuries suffered by the victim may suggest something else occurred.
While testifying, Detective Dunn said that the autopsy report showed that the victim had one laceration on his left leg above his knee and one laceration on the middle finger of his right hand.
When Williams’ council then cross examined the detective, he made it a point to ask if anyone with the VPPD had traveled to where the defendant was being housed to question her without her attorney present, which Chapman believes may violate an individual’s sixth amendment rights.
Following the hearing, Chapman said, “I will be filing a Motion to Suppress my clients statement given to the VPPD on June 20th at Avoyelles Correctional Center without my consent as violating her Miranda Rights.”
When considering the A.D.A.’s request for an increase in Williams’ bond, the judge took into account the defendant’s past criminal history, whether she would be a danger to society and whether she would be a flight risk.
“Bail is designed to secure a defendant’s presence in court and to protect the community,” said Judge West. “With the new charge of second degree murder, the defendant now may have more of an incentive to skip out on their court date.”
Judge West then continued, “The defendant does not have a prior record, but no evidence has been presented today showing me if she has a job or telling me about any community involvement.”
For those reasons, the judge ruled to increase Williams’ bond from $125,000.00 to $250,000.00.
Williams’ arraignment date, which is where she will enter a plea of not guilty or guilty, has been set for July 5, 2018.
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ELIZABETH WEST Managing Editor