2 tied to Darrent Williams case accept pleas

by KaptainKirk on May 19, 2010 12:01 PM MDT in Darrent Williams News

Two men who refused to testify in the trial of a man convicted in the death of Denver Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams have pleaded guilty to being an accessory to perjury.

As part of a plea bargain, 21-year-old Kataina (Markie) Jackson-Keeling and 22-year-old Mario Anderson admitted they were in contempt of the court. They pleaded guilty Tuesday.

Prosecutors had accused them of lying to a Denver grand jury investigating Williams' death in a drive-by shooting early on New Year's Day 2007.

Jurors convicted Willie Clark in March of first-degree murder and sentenced him to life in prison.

Jackson-Keeling and Anderson are free on bail. They are due to be sentenced June 7.

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I'm no legal expert, but I know that "perjury" and "contempt" are bad. I guess watching the movie "The Majestic" was good for something, right?

Anyways, what does this mean, as far as sentencing is concerned? Someone with more knowledge of this stuff is going to have to help me out, here. Are we looking at prison time for them, a slap on the wrist, or what?

If Taylor Swift were to try and tackle me, I'd let her.
PS3 ID: broncomaniac6

by Troy Hufford on May 19, 2010 12:15 PM MDT reply actions

Sentencing

Perjury is a Class 4 felony in Colorado, if the perjury is committed in an “official proceeding”, such as in court. But it is a Calss 1 Misdemeanor if committed not in an “official proceeding”. Being convicted of being an accessory to a crime means that you can’t be punished as severely as the principal. From the story, I can’t tell what class of perjury they plead to (it could be the lesser charge even though the perjury was in an “official proceeding”. If they plead to perjury in the first degree (the Class 4 felony), the worst sentencing option the Court could go with would be a 1 to 2 year sentence to the Department of Corrections. Probation would be an option for the Court.
The punishment for contempt is a maximum of 6 months.
It doesn’t appear that the plea agreement contains any sentence agreements, which would mean that the Court could impose the two year penitentiary sentence. But in a case like this where the defendants cooperated (eventually) by testifying for the prosecution, it’s a different situation. I expect that there are side agreements (off the record) between the prosecution and the defendants to, for example, not ask for a penitentiary sentence. Such a sentence could be very hard on the defendants – they’d face danger from Bronco fans and gang members and inmates in general, who hate snitches. If the prosecution asks for a harsh sentence, it would result in people with knowledge of crimes being very reluctant to help the prosecution.
My guess is they’ll end up with 6 months in the county jail (for the contempt) and probation on the felony. If they screw up on the probation, they can be sent to the wolves with no problem for the DA. The fact that they are free on bail says a lot.
But this is just a guess. In a case like this, there is so much going on behind the scenes that any guess is just that.

All that you behold, though it appears without, it is within, in your imagination, of which this world of mortality is but a shadow...and one day you’ll awake and find that you’ve never lived and never died, except in the dream.

William Blake

by bradley on May 19, 2010 1:18 PM MDT up reply actions 3 recs

Thanks, bradley. This is just what I was looking for. Rec'd.

If Taylor Swift were to try and tackle me, I'd let her.
PS3 ID: broncomaniac6

by Troy Hufford on May 19, 2010 1:38 PM MDT up reply actions

Great info bradley

Quick question though regarding:

If the prosecution asks for a harsh sentence, it would result in people with knowledge of crimes being very reluctant to help the prosecution.

Wouldn’t it be the opposite? These two are in trouble because they wouldn’t help the prosecution. First they lied to a Grand Jury in the investigation and then they refused to testify against the defendant during the trial. Wouldn’t a harsh sentence deter people from refusing to testify against their friends because of the fear of the punishment? I think a slap on the wrist would make it more likely that people would refuse to help the prosecution in the future.

"He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp-posts... for support rather than illumination."
- Andrew Lang (1844-1912)

by c_style on May 19, 2010 10:39 PM MDT up reply actions

I think these two guys

are the ones that saw the light and testified at the trial that it was the defendant who pulled the trigger, etc. If they hadn’t committed the original perjury, they’d be free now.

William Blake

by bradley on May 20, 2010 5:57 AM MDT up reply actions

Ah, gotcha

That makes sense then.

"He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp-posts... for support rather than illumination."
- Andrew Lang (1844-1912)

by c_style on May 20, 2010 6:47 AM MDT up reply actions

D WILL

I think D Will was one of Shanahan’s best draft picks ever! I always wondered how much better we would have been if he was still with us. May he rest in peace :(

The player who caused that fight on NYE, Marshall is done until training camp. Brandon is already not on the field for the Dolphins…he never liked OTA’s much anyway.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d818353ba&template=with-video-with-comments&confirm=true

My job is to separate the player from the ball - John Lynch

by 2010oc on May 19, 2010 12:32 PM MDT reply actions

I hear ya on D-Will.

Very sad to see a young guy’s career cut short. I have asked myself the same question in how would D-Will be if things were different. Good to see justice was served.

Floyd Little: HOF Class of 2010.

2009 NBA Champions L.A Lakers
2009 NBA Finals MVP Kobe Bryant

by weazel on May 19, 2010 6:57 PM MDT up reply actions