KAUFMAN COUNTY, Texas — Kaufman County Judge Bruce Wood, District Attorney Erleigh Wiley, and Sheriff David Byrnes held a press conference Wednesday, December 17, 2014, following the death sentence handed down to former Kaufman County justice of the peace Eric Williams by a Rockwall County jury.
KAUFMAN COUNTY, Texas — Kaufman County Judge Bruce Wood, District Attorney Erleigh Wiley, and Sheriff David Byrnes held a press conference Wednesday, December 17, 2014, following the death sentence handed down to former Kaufman County justice of the peace Eric Williams by a Rockwall County jury.
The press conference was held at the Kaufman County courthouse at 4 p.m. The jury, which was sequestered overnight, sentenced Williams this morning just before 9 a.m. — after deliberating only 4 hours between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.
On December 4, 2014, the same jury convicted Williams for the capital murder of Cynthia McLelland — the wife of Kaufman County District Attorney Mike McLelland who was also killed. In the punishment phase, jurors heard evidence which also linked Williams to the death of prosecutor Mark Hasse. The McLellands were killed in their Forney area home over Easter weekend 2013 and Hasse was gunned down in broad daylight as he walked to the courthouse on January 31, 2013.
Prosecutors said Williams and his wife, Kim, planned the revenge killings of the three after Williams was prosecuted by McLelland and Hasse for burglary of a building and theft by a public servant. He lost his law license and seat as justice of the peace.
Williams has been returned to the Kaufman County Jail from the Rockwall County Jail until he is transferred to state prison. Kim remains jailed at the Kaufman County Jail and is awaiting trial.
