Williams said it would make no difference to him if the DNA test came back excluding Washington. He said Washington identified a shirt and showed the police the location of the crime.
" . . . I don't understand the full impact of the DNA testing. I hope they're going to look at all the evidence . . . . If they want to pardon him, then they should, you know, re-open the case and do it all over again 'till they find out who did it. But, like I say, I'm pretty-well convinced he did it. There's no way he could have told the police the things he did if he wasn't the one who did it. . . .
"The newspapers are always talking about this poor, retarded black man from Bealeton. I've been hearing that for so many years. The state mental hospital found he had an IQ of 69, but that's mostly low because he didn't have much education. There was nothing else wrong with him."
Williams cited an Oct. 21, 1983, statement from Central State Hospital which found that Washington was "competent to plead and stand trial and does not lack substantial capacity to comprehend the proceedings against him or to assist in his own defense."
Williams also quoted a Nov. 30, 1984, appeal review by Judge David F. Berry, which said, "Dr. Centor testified that the defendant, when asked correctly . . . demonstrated more familiarity with the justice system than many intelligent laymen."
Did Williams think it was possible Washington could have answered "yes" to police questions in order to please the police? "No. After all, he got away with it for a year and did it in broad daylight and was slick enough to get away. That tells me something about him. He wasn't caught until he beat up and raped an old woman in Warrenton and shot his brother in the foot."
Williams is referring to the incident for which Washington was picked up. The attempted-rape charge in that case was dropped when the alleged victim said he hadn't tried to rape her.
Williams said he was convinced of Washington's guilt because the prisoner gave a description of the shirt allegedly left by the murderer. However, according to court records, he gave that description upon being shown the shirt -- not before.
"He showed the exact location of where he jumped over a fence, and it was the same spot where eyewitnesses saw a black man go across the fence. I have no doubt in my mind he's the man that did it....
"I wish Wilder would have never gave him a stay of execution," Williams said. "He's in prison, but he's still alive. That's more than what she's got. As a result of all this I've missed the best years of my girls' lives. I've been through hell. They keep bringing it up in the papers. I don't know if it's lawyers trying to get publicity or what."
*****
However bitter Williams is when speaking of Washington and the murder, he grows ecstatic when discussing his upcoming reunion with his children.
"Thank God I found my children!" he said. "I will see them in 17 days!" Williams was speaking on June 13.
Williams said his trip to California is "going to be kind of cool. I get to see my grandkids for the first time and my kids for the first time in 12 years. . . . I'll be there eight days. I'm looking forward to it. I'm really looking forward to it. It's been a long time coming. . . . I feel like I'm finally getting a piece of my life back. I'm getting a grip on things, feeling at ease with myself.
"The day I called my youngest daughter. Bang! That was really something else. Whew! I was so happy! Seventeen days left! I can't wait!"
*****
" . . . I don't understand the full impact of the DNA testing. I hope they're going to look at all the evidence . . . . If they want to pardon him, then they should, you know, re-open the case and do it all over again 'till they find out who did it. But, like I say, I'm pretty-well convinced he did it. There's no way he could have told the police the things he did if he wasn't the one who did it. . . .
"The newspapers are always talking about this poor, retarded black man from Bealeton. I've been hearing that for so many years. The state mental hospital found he had an IQ of 69, but that's mostly low because he didn't have much education. There was nothing else wrong with him."
Williams cited an Oct. 21, 1983, statement from Central State Hospital which found that Washington was "competent to plead and stand trial and does not lack substantial capacity to comprehend the proceedings against him or to assist in his own defense."
Did Williams think it was possible Washington could have answered "yes" to police questions in order to please the police? "No. After all, he got away with it for a year and did it in broad daylight and was slick enough to get away. That tells me something about him. He wasn't caught until he beat up and raped an old woman in Warrenton and shot his brother in the foot."
Williams is referring to the incident for which Washington was picked up. The attempted-rape charge in that case was dropped when the alleged victim said he hadn't tried to rape her.
Williams said he was convinced of Washington's guilt because the prisoner gave a description of the shirt allegedly left by the murderer. However, according to court records, he gave that description upon being shown the shirt -- not before.
"He showed the exact location of where he jumped over a fence, and it was the same spot where eyewitnesses saw a black man go across the fence. I have no doubt in my mind he's the man that did it....
"I wish Wilder would have never gave him a stay of execution," Williams said. "He's in prison, but he's still alive. That's more than what she's got. As a result of all this I've missed the best years of my girls' lives. I've been through hell. They keep bringing it up in the papers. I don't know if it's lawyers trying to get publicity or what."
*****
However bitter Williams is when speaking of Washington and the murder, he grows ecstatic when discussing his upcoming reunion with his children.
"Thank God I found my children!" he said. "I will see them in 17 days!" Williams was speaking on June 13.
Williams said his trip to California is "going to be kind of cool. I get to see my grandkids for the first time and my kids for the first time in 12 years. . . . I'll be there eight days. I'm looking forward to it. I'm really looking forward to it. It's been a long time coming. . . . I feel like I'm finally getting a piece of my life back. I'm getting a grip on things, feeling at ease with myself.
"The day I called my youngest daughter. Bang! That was really something else. Whew! I was so happy! Seventeen days left! I can't wait!"
*****
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