(HC) Williams v. High Desert State Prison

I. BACKGROUND/PRIOR PROCEEDINGS

On May 12, 2011, Williams was charged with murder (Count 1), assault with a firearm (Count 2), and being a felon in possession of a firearm (Count 3) after he shot and killed a man in front of a hotel. The information further alleged as enhancements with respect to Count 1 that Williams had personally used a firearm causing great bodily injury or death and that he had been convicted of a felony and served a prior prison term. Williams pled not guilty and denied the enhancements. Williams also sought to suppress out-of-court statements that he had made to a law enforcement officer, which the trial court ultimately denied. Williams proceeded to a jury trial on May 5, 2011. On direct appeal of his conviction, the California Court of Appeal laid out the following facts underlying the charges against Williams and the evidence presented at trial: Lashaun Blake was celebrating her 17th birthday with friends at the Double Tree Hotel. In another room, Alex Hunter was celebrating his 21st birthday with his siblings and friends. [Williams] and “Goldie” Benoit had joined the party of teenage girls because they knew Blake’s boyfriend. Benoit, [Williams]…