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Kenrick Still Serving Life
posted (June 11, 2014)

And taking a quick break from all the political news, convicted murderer Kenrick Williams had his life sentence affirmed today after the Court of Appeal dismissed his case.

Williams was convicted in the Supreme Court of strangling 16 year-old Elia Gonzalez after having sexual intercourse with her. The incident happened on March 23, 2004. The second form student didn't make it home that evening at around 3 because Williams abducted her and dragged her into the bushes, tied her up with her shoelaces, and he then forced himself. While in the act, he was choking her, and when he was finished, he realized that he had suffocated her.

He was tried and convicted in December 2009, but a mistrial was declared. He was tried again in July 2012, where he was convicted and sentenced to life in prison.

His attorney, Phillip Palacio appealed that conviction claiming that the judge misdirected the jury when they were reviewing his caution statement in which he admitted to the crime. Palacio says that client gave that statement under duress from the investigating officers who forced him to confess. After hearing the response from the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal.

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