Williams v. State
Annotate this CaseAfter a jury trial, Petitioner Frank Williams was found guilty of capital murder and sentenced to death. The Supreme Court affirmed. The circuit court denied Williams' subsequent motion for postconviction relief, and the Supreme Court affirmed. Williams next filed a federal habeas corpus petition, which was denied. Williams eventually moved the Supreme Court to recall the mandates of its judgments denying Williams relief on both his direct appeal and petition for postconviction relief. At issue before the Court was the fact that the Williams jury erroneously marked a jury form, indicating that no evidence of mitigation was offered where evidence was clearly presented. The Court granted the motion and reversed the death sentence, concluding that the jury eliminated from its consideration all evidence presented of mitigating circumstances and sentenced Williams to death solely based on the aggravating circumstance, which was reversible error. Because the error was not discovered during Williams' direct appeal, there was a defect or breakdown in the appellate process in this death-penalty case, requiring a recall of the mandate and a reopening of Williams' direct appeal. Remanded for resentencing.
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