VT - Man Convicted of Setting Fire that Killed 4, Says He's Innocent

vermontn03 · Jul 7, 2008

Man Convicted of Setting Fire that Killed 4, Says He's Innocent

Burlington, Vermont - July 7, 2008
A Milton man who admitted he set a house fire that killed three little boys and their grandmother, now says he is innocent.
28-year-old Eric Williams is serving 40-to-60 years in prison after pleading guilty to four counts of involuntary manslaughter back in 2001. The fire happened in an apartment house in Milton in 1999. Williams, a volunteer firefighters, was reportedly upset about a breakup with a girlfriend.
Williams argues he was forced to make a false confession, had an ineffective lawyer and was pressured into accepting a plea deal.

http://www.wcax.com/global/story.asp?s=8627249

vermontn03 · Jul 7, 2008

http://www.wcax.com/Global/category.asp?C=139464&nav=menu183_5

please go to 0:44 on the morning braodcast where it talks about mr. Williams. for the video

SewingDeb · Jul 7, 2008

Do you think he's innocent? Sometimes that does happen.

vermontn03 · Jul 7, 2008

Dear SewingDeb,

OMG yes I do think that he is innocent. BRING HIM HOME.

pixies · Jul 7, 2008

vermontn03 said:
Dear SewingDeb,

OMG yes I do think that he is innocent. BRING HIM HOME.

Hi friend, I cannot get any of the links to open. Others are working fine for me so I don't know if it's the links or my PC.

vermontn03 · Jul 7, 2008

Hi the links are working fine for me. I will try to scan the paper clippings that I have from when the fire happened.

here is an article from the burlington free press

Man disputes arson deaths conviction
A Milton man who admitted setting a 1999 fire in his apartment building that killed four neighbors says his conviction and sentence should be overturned because he is actually innocent.

A hearing about the status of Eric Williams' challenge is set for Wednesday in Chittenden Superior Court in Burlington.

Williams, 28, was sentenced in 2001 to serve 40 to 60 years in prison following his guilty plea to four counts of involuntary manslaughter arising from the deaths of three boys, all younger than 12, and their grandmother. But an attorney for Williams contends in court papers the suspect made a false confession, had an ineffective trial lawyer who failed to investigate the fire's true cause, and was pressured into accepting a plea bargain.
"Mr. Williams is, in fact, innocent of the crimes," defense attorney Mark Furlan wrote in court papers. "In order to correct a miscarriage of justice, he must be permitted to present evidence of his actual innocence."
The return of Williams' case to court has left Bobbi-Jo Perreault reeling. Three of her four children -- Ryan Francis, 11, Tyler Billado, 5, and Troy Perreault-Moulton, 3 -- and her mother, Amelia Perreault, 64, perished in the October 1999 blaze at the Sara Marie Apartments on U.S. 7 in Milton.

http://burlingtonfreepress.com/apps...=Ria7pi1B7F2oE89hM/WudYNxDxocdRdKyrhgy7de+Tc=

vermontn03 · Jul 7, 2008

Here are the pictures that were on the article from wcax

Eric Williams

pixies · Jul 7, 2008

Thanks!
Why do you think he is innocent?

vermontn03 · Jul 7, 2008

Because I know that he didnt do it.

Jeana (DP) · Jul 7, 2008

vermontn03 said:
Because I know that he didnt do it.

And . . .

vermontn03 · Jul 7, 2008

And??? What else am I supposed to say? Someone had asked why I think he was innocent? I said because I know that he didnt do it.

pixies · Jul 7, 2008

vermontn03 said:
And??? What else am I supposed to say? Someone had asked why I think he was innocent? I said because I know that he didnt do it.

LOL Vermont!
Seriously, why do you think he is innocent? What proof do you have?

I have no opinion on this yet but I would love to hear why you believe him to be innocent.

Jeana (DP) · Jul 7, 2008

vermontn03 said:
And??? What else am I supposed to say? Someone had asked why I think he was innocent? I said because I know that he didnt do it.

I guess I'm interested in how you know. Do you know the "real" perp? Do you know this guy and he just couldn't have done it? What?

vermontn03 · Jul 7, 2008

Dear Pixies,
For starters, I know him personally.

vermontn03 · Jul 7, 2008

Jeana (DP) said:
I guess I'm interested in how you know. Do you know the "real" perp? Do you know this guy and he just couldn't have done it? What?

Yes I personally know Eric, Yes I know the real perp but I cannot say his name till its out in the open.

Jeana (DP) · Jul 7, 2008

vermontn03 said:
Yes I personally know Eric, Yes I know the real perp but I cannot say his name till its out in the open.

He looks like a little kid!!!! I couldn't open those first two links either, but I'm going to search and see what information I can find about this case.

Why do you think he gave the false confession? Were his rights being violated by the police? Do you think his trial attorney will help in his defense by admitting the ineffectiveness of counsel?

Jeana (DP) · Jul 7, 2008

Vermont, this statement by him somewhat mirrors what I've read in cases where there was actually a false confession:

"The detective knows that I did it, but I can't figure out how I did it, but I know deep down I did," Williams told Vermont State Police Detective Sgt. David Harrington shortly after the fire, according to the transcript.

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080707/NEWS02/807070312/-1/NEWS05

vermontn03 · Jul 7, 2008

Jeana (DP) said:
He looks like a little kid!!!! I couldn't open those first two links either, but I'm going to search and see what information I can find about this case.

Why do you think he gave the false confession? Were his rights being violated by the police? Do you think his trial attorney will help in his defense by admitting the ineffectiveness of counsel?

Eric was only 19 when this happened. I dont know why you couldnt open the links I will repost them. I have everything on this case right down to newspaper articles. I need to find the cord to my scanner so that I can scan them. Eric probably does not even know if it will help at this point. all i know is that the defence att. was on his side. it plainly says "
Furlan does not raise that argument in the more recent papers, which say Williams' conviction should be thrown out because trial attorney Jerry Schwarz was ineffective; the guilty pleas were not knowing or voluntary; and the defendant is innocent."

Furlan is the defense attorney
"Mr. Williams is, in fact, innocent of the crimes," defense attorney Mark Furlan wrote in court papers. "In order to correct a miscarriage of justice, he must be permitted to present evidence of his actual innocence."

This is comming from he deFense attorney him self.

Jeana (DP) · Jul 7, 2008

Well this is his appellate attorney, so you actually do see that quite a bit. If they could get the trial attorney to submit an affidavit saying the same thing, he may have something there.

vermontn03 · Jul 7, 2008

Jeana (DP) said:
Well this is his appellate attorney, so you actually do see that quite a bit. If they could get the trial attorney to submit an affidavit saying the same thing, he may have something there.

Yes im sorry my mind was a lil confuzzeled there. I hope that the trial attorney sees it the same way. This has gone on long enough and they need the right person in jail for it.

VT - Man Convicted of Setting Fire that Killed 4, Says He's Innocent

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