LOGAN - Carmen Williams stood with tears in her eyes outside the courtroom where two people convicted of abusing her daughter had just been sentenced Thursday. She was of two minds. "It's a relief just to get it over with," she said, then followed that with, "We're not completely satisfied."
LOGAN - Carmen Williams stood with tears in her eyes outside the courtroom where two people convicted of abusing her daughter had just been sentenced Thursday.
She was of two minds. "It's a relief just to get it over with," she said, then followed that with, "We're not completely satisfied."
Karen Burton and Frankie Brewster were convicted of crimes in the torture-sexual abuse case of Megan Williams. Both were sentenced by Logan Circuit Judge Robert Perry to the maximum allowed under their plea agreements with Logan County prosecutors.
Matthew Williams (left), Megan Williams and Carmen Williams are followed to their car by supporters after Tuesday’s sentencing hearings.
Burton, 46, received 10 years on a hate crime charge and two to 10 years each on charges of assault during the commission of a felony and malicious assault. She will serve those sentences one after the other, and will spend between 14 and 30 years in prison.
Brewster, 49, was sentenced to 10 to 25 years in prison for second-degree sexual assault. She forced Megan Williams to perform oral sex on her. Perry said he took Brewster's prior conviction on voluntary manslaughter into consideration when sentencing her.
Brewster also must register as a sex offender for the rest of her life, the judge said.
"We would have been more satisfied if they got life," Carmen Williams said.
The sentences also weren't enough for Malik Shabazz, leader of the group Black Lawyers for Justice, who called the sentences "puny."
He spoke after the hearings outside the Logan County Courthouse, flanked by Megan and Carmen Williams and their supporters. Megan's father, Matthew Williams, stood off to the left of the gathering.
"We are still in pursuit of justice for Megan Williams," Shabazz said. "There is unanimous dissatisfaction here."
Shabazz said the remaining cases should be handled by federal prosecutors or state Attorney General Darrell McGraw, even though McGraw's office has no prosecutorial powers.
Carmen Williams said Logan assistant prosecutors did the best they could, given the plea deals made by the county's prosecutor, Brian Abraham. Abraham was called to active military duty last month.
Burton's hearing came first Thursday morning. She was led into the courtroom in chains and looked briefly at Williams, who was being comforted by her mother.
Robert Ilderton, the county's chief assistant prosecutor, recommended the maximum sentence for Burton. He said she was part of a group who held Williams against her will in a bedroom, under a sink and in an outbuilding.
"It may have been for a few hours. It may have been overnight," he said.
LOGAN - Carmen Williams stood with tears in her eyes outside the courtroom where two people convicted of abusing her daughter had just been sentenced Thursday.
She was of two minds. "It's a relief just to get it over with," she said, then followed that with, "We're not completely satisfied."
Karen Burton and Frankie Brewster were convicted of crimes in the torture-sexual abuse case of Megan Williams. Both were sentenced by Logan Circuit Judge Robert Perry to the maximum allowed under their plea agreements with Logan County prosecutors.
Burton, 46, received 10 years on a hate crime charge and two to 10 years each on charges of assault during the commission of a felony and malicious assault. She will serve those sentences one after the other, and will spend between 14 and 30 years in prison.
Brewster, 49, was sentenced to 10 to 25 years in prison for second-degree sexual assault. She forced Megan Williams to perform oral sex on her. Perry said he took Brewster's prior conviction on voluntary manslaughter into consideration when sentencing her.
Brewster also must register as a sex offender for the rest of her life, the judge said.
"We would have been more satisfied if they got life," Carmen Williams said.
The sentences also weren't enough for Malik Shabazz, leader of the group Black Lawyers for Justice, who called the sentences "puny."
He spoke after the hearings outside the Logan County Courthouse, flanked by Megan and Carmen Williams and their supporters. Megan's father, Matthew Williams, stood off to the left of the gathering.
"We are still in pursuit of justice for Megan Williams," Shabazz said. "There is unanimous dissatisfaction here."
Shabazz said the remaining cases should be handled by federal prosecutors or state Attorney General Darrell McGraw, even though McGraw's office has no prosecutorial powers.
Carmen Williams said Logan assistant prosecutors did the best they could, given the plea deals made by the county's prosecutor, Brian Abraham. Abraham was called to active military duty last month.
Burton's hearing came first Thursday morning. She was led into the courtroom in chains and looked briefly at Williams, who was being comforted by her mother.
Robert Ilderton, the county's chief assistant prosecutor, recommended the maximum sentence for Burton. He said she was part of a group who held Williams against her will in a bedroom, under a sink and in an outbuilding.
"It may have been for a few hours. It may have been overnight," he said.
Ilderton also said Burton used racial epithets against Williams as she cut her with a knife.
"It's never appropriate for anyone to use the n-word, including black, white or purple people," said Betty Gregory, Burton's attorney. "But if everyone who used the n-word went to prison, there would be a lot of people there."
Burton was charged with a hate crime for stabbing Williams in the ankle while saying, "This is what we do to niggers around here," according to the indictment.
Perry said that other people who use that word weren't cutting Williams while they used it: "There's a stark difference."
In Brewster's hearing, the judge said her sentence was not only meant to punish those who do crime, but to protect society from someone who may hurt others again.
He said Williams wrote victim statements in both cases, which he weighed in his sentencing.
Meanwhile, Williams' supporters gathered outside the courtroom.
"They shouldn't have plea-bargained with any of it," said Carmen Williams at the news conference. "I believe she has no justice. The time they gave [Burton and Brewster] is unacceptable."
The plea deals were made by looking at each individual and looking at the complete case prosecutors had against them, not just Williams' statements, Ilderton said.
Police discovered Williams at a trailer near Big Creek on Sept. 8, 2007. She was raped, tortured, beaten and forced to eat animal feces, among other acts, according to court documents.
In February, George Messer and Alisha Burton each pleaded guilty to one count of kidnapping and one count of assault during the commission of a felony. Each faces up to 10 years in prison and has agreed to testify against the other defendants, as have Frankie Brewster and Karen Burton.
Frankie Brewster's son, Bobby Brewster, and Danny Combs still face charges in the case. Combs, who is charged with kidnapping, first-degree sexual assault and conspiracy, will go to trial April 28. He allegedly held a knife to Williams and forced her to perform oral sex on him.
Another man, Linnie Burton Jr., was charged with one count of misdemeanor battery. He was not among the original six people arrested in the case.
To contact staff writer Gary Harki, use e-mail or call 348-5163.
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