By ASHLEY McKEEN, Floridan Staff Writer
Published: December 11, 2009
Emotions ran high Friday morning as Circuit Judge Bill Wright sentenced Wesley Jonathan Williams to four consecutive life sentences, as well as three sentences of 30 years, all without possibility of parole.
Williams was convicted in October of four counts of first degree murder, and three counts of aggravated child abuse in the deaths of his former girlfriend, Danielle Baker and her three young children.
Williams escaped the death penalty earlier this month, due to lack of sufficient evidence. The judge stated in his ruling against the death penalty that while the details of the crimes “were meticulously proven and it was proven that the defendant was present during the crimes,” his actual participation was not proven to the level required for the imposition of the death penalty.
Family member’s of the victims spoke at the sentencing hearing Friday morning, urging Judge Wright to consider how “heinous and cruel” these crimes were.
Williams choked up as Danielle Baker’s father, Lavon Baker, and her mother, Doreen Jackson, spoke to Judge Wright prior to the sentencing.
“I will never see my babies again,” Lavon Baker cried. “And those children didn’t deserve what happened to them.”
Jackson followed Baker with her belief that Williams was guilty and that justice needed to be served.
“He’s guilty, he has been guilty from day one,” Jackson said.
Following the family’s remarks, Judge Wright made his ruling of life in prison.
Before escorting defendant Williams out, Judge Wright added, “Mr. Williams, may God have mercy on your soul. I will never understand all of this.”
For a complete story, see the upcoming edition of the Jackson County Floridan.
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