High court to hear killer’s appeal

Tuesday, Dec. 10, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

Antoine Williams, 29, says his conviction should be overturned because his confession shouldn't have been introduced and the prosecution made improper remarks at his trial.

The case is one of 22 appeals that are being heard this week by the high court as it closes out the calendar year.

Williams said he asked for an attorney before he was questioned by police about the slaying of William Nail, 74, and his wife, Alice, 72, in September 1994. But police said he never made any request for an attorney and freely answered questions.

Williams told police he knocked at the couple's door and asked to borrow money from the husband to buy drugs. At the time, he was strung out on crack cocaine.

When William Nail refused the loan, Williams strangled the man with an electric cord. He then came up behind Alice Nail in the kitchen and began to strangle her. She resisted and he killed her by stabbing her in the neck and kicking her in the head.

Williams stole some of the Nails' possessions before leaving, including a videocassette recorder and a wallet and purse containing bank cards. He later returned, kicked down the front door, and stole jewelry that he swapped for drugs.

He sold the VCR for $35 and managed to withdraw money using the couple's bank cards.

A District Court jury convicted him of first-degree murder but couldn't reach a decision on the penalty. A three-judge court was appointed and sentenced him to death.