Williams sentencing brings out emotions

Kim Smith

Friday, March 30, 2001 | 11:22 a.m.

Tears, sobs, angry words and gasps of indignation filled the courtroom this morning as the sentencing hearing of Jessica Williams began.

Williams was convicted of causing the March 2000 deaths of six teenagers, and one after the other the children's family members took the stand to describe their agony.

Less than 10 minutes into the proceeding, District Judge Mark Gibbons was forced to temporarily halt the proceeding when one of the victim's mothers showed Williams, 21, pictures of her daughter -- one in life, the other in death.

"This was Malena," JoJo Burke said. "This was her. This is what you did to my baby. Malena was my best friend, not just my daughter. My best friend."

Williams' attorney, John Watkins, objected strenuously to the tone of Burke's voice and asked for a five-minute break because "Jessica is upset."

Watkins' words caused angry outcries from the victims' families. He also infuriated them when he attempted to cross-examine a family member about a lawsuit the families have filed in connection with the accident.

After the break, Gibbons directed Watkins not to discuss the lawsuit and he asked the families not to show Williams photos of the crime scene.

The hearing continued past Sun presstime.

Malena Stoltzfus, 15, Rebeccah Glicken , 15, Jennifer Booth, 16, Scott Garner Jr. 14, Anthony Smith, 14, and Alberto Puig, 16, were struck and killed by Williams March 19, 2000, as they were picking up trash as punishment for minor crimes.

Williams was alleged to have had both marijuana and Ecstasy in her blood at the time of the crash. Watkins argued that she simply fell asleep.

Gibbons will have to look at the wishes of the community and those of the victims' families, but also take into consideration the mixed message sent by the jury's verdict.

Gibbons was to decide whether Williams should serve six sentences of two to 20 years at the same time, one after the other or a combination of both options.

The maximum sentence Williams could get was 120 years with parole possible after 48 years. The minimum sentence was two years.

The Division of Parole and Probation recommended Williams be sentenced to 16 to 72 years for a range of 32 months to 12 years per child and Chief Deputy District Attorney Gary Booker said he planned to ask for far more than than.

"I'm basically asking for life, the way I figure it, one life for six lives," Booker said before the hearing began.

A Clark County jury convicted Williams, 21, in February of six counts of driving under the influence of a prohibited substance in her blood but acquitted her of driving under the influence of a controlled substance.

The jury's verdict indicates the jurors believe Williams had THC -- the active ingredient marijuana -- in her system, but it did not impair her ability to drive.

Watkins, has argued since the beginning of the case that there is no correlation between THC in the blood and bad driving. He contends the law, which went into effect in October 1999, is unconstitutional.

In his appeal Watkins said he will ask the Nevada Supreme Court how someone can be found guilty of "driving under the influence" but found not to be impaired.

Watkins was expected to use the same argument when pleading for leniency for Williams this morning. He was also likely to argue that Williams should be granted mercy because the youths were placed on the interstate median by authorities in Clark County.

The families have filed a lawsuit against the county and Republic Services of Nevada, the trash disposal company that funded the community service program.

Watkins had asked Gibbons to postpone today's sentencing because he was upset the Division of Parole and Probation did not address the county's culpability in its pre-sentence report.

The defense attorney was also angry the probation officer recommended that Williams serve her sentences consecutively. He told Gibbons Thursday the probation officer promised he would recommend the six sentences be served simultaneously.

Watkins contends the probation officer ignored the jury's finding that Williams was not impaired by the drugs when making his sentencing recommendation.

In making his decision Gibbons also took into consideration more than 100 letters sent from all over the world. The vast majority recommended leniency for Williams.