In May, 1976, a woman identified as Jeanette Williams was shot dead and her friend, Nina Marshall barely escaped alive. Their lives and that of their family were affected by this tragedy. However, two men identified as Clifford Williams Jr. and Hubert Nathan Myers were also affected as they were wrongfully accused of the crimes despite their pleas of innocence. Williams was 34 and his nephew, Myers, was 18 when they were arrested, convicted and sentence to life imprisonment for the crimes which they insisted they didn’t commit. They were at a party in Jacksonville, Florida, when the two women were shot in a nearby apartment, one of them fatally.
Now after 42 years of filing motions and petitions, the two finally got their freedom. On March 28, the state of Florida threw out their convictions and set them free. It was an emotional moment for Williams and Myers who shook hands and shared a long hug before joining family members gathered in the courtroom.
Myers who kissed the floor after the charges were dropped, had this to say to a WFOX reporter: “I’m nervous because I feel like I’m still locked up,” he said. “Once I get with my family and know I can look back … and the reality hits in, I think I’ll be all right.”
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The woman who survived the shooting told police that Williams and Myers emptied their guns from the foot of the bed she shared with the murdered woman. Evidence however, showed the shots were all fired outside, and from the same gun. Still, Williams and Myers were convicted of murder and attempted murder after a two-day trial. Their attorneys presented no evidence or witnesses, although partygoers reported being with the men when everyone heard the shots that night.
After filing several failed motions, things began to change when they petitioned the Conviction Integrity Review unit, which the state attorney created in 2017. Among the findings: Another man reportedly confessed to people that he committed the murders and felt bad Williams and Myers were imprisoned for it, the Conviction Integrity Review investigation report said. That man died in 1994.
The new unit’s review led to the first-of-its-kind result, with the cases being tossed. Myers had this to say in a report from the state attorney: “I lost almost 43 years of my life that I can never get back. But I am looking ahead and will focus on enjoying my freedom with my family.”
Williams who is now 76, and Myers, 61, are looking forward to spending the rest of their lives as free men.
Legit.ng
