HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) - A prayerful parolee with a penchant for stealing cars was executed on Wednesday evening for the rape-slaying of a Houston woman in an attack where the victim's 9-year-old daughter also was raped and beaten.
The girl's testimony helped send Jeffrey Lynn Williams to death row.
Strapped to the death chamber gurney, Williams, 30, recited the 23rd Psalm.
"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want," he said, reciting the verses, ending with "I shall dwell in the
house of the Lord forever and ever. Amen. Amen."
As the drugs began flowing, Jeffery Williams added, "I thank you Lord for all good things you have given me. Bless my family."
Then he gurgled and gasped, before slipping into unconsciousness. He was pronounced dead at 6:17 p.m., 8 minutes after the lethal dose began.
Jeffery Williams was the 18th Texas inmate to die this year and the second in as many days.
Last year, 17 condemned prisoners were put to death in Texas.
"If a guy set out to kill like he killed, a guy shouldn't die that easy," Barbara Pullins' brother, Willie Collins, said after watching Williams' execution. "I was looking forward to it, like any other family member should.  "I'm at ease. I had to wait eight years for this here."
Willie Collins said he'd tell his niece, now 16 and too young according to prison rules to be an execution
witness, that "justice was served for her mother at 6:17."
From the witness stand, the girl pointed to the three-time convict as the man who woke her Oct. 26,
1994, by choking her in her bed and then punching her in the head as she struggled.
"If you tell anybody, I'll kill you," evidence showed he told her.
After Williams left, the girl found the lifeless body of her 31-year-old mother. Unable to awaken her mother, the girl went to her grandmother's apartment nearby and police were summoned.
"You hate to have to put the daughter through that but it also is necessary in order for the jury to know
what happened and you get the conviction," Harris County Assistant District Attorney Lyn McClellan said this week, recalling the girl's testimony.
Evidence showed Jeffery Williams, a ninth-grade dropout who lived in an adjacent apartment complex, forced his way into Barbara Pullins' place at knifepoint, then raped and strangled her with the cord of an iron she had been using. The strangulation came after he unsuccessfully tried to suffocate the school bus driver by placing a plastic bag over her head.
The evidence also showed he touched her body repeatedly with a lighted cigarette to make sure she was dead, then tried to burn the corpse. After attacking Barbara Pullins, he moved on to the daughter, then stole Pullins' car and some items from the apartment.
The car was found near Jeffery Williams' residence. Her purse and keys, her television and a video recorder were found inside his home. His thumbprint and palmprint were found in her apartment. He confessed to police that he "just went off."
When Jeffery Williams was 17, he picked up his first felony auto theft conviction and a 30-day jail term.
Two months later, he was sentenced to seven years in prison for aggravated assault and another auto theft, but was paroled after only 4 months in January 1990.
By the following year, he was back in prison with a 10-year term for auto theft, but was on parole within
nine months. It took less than four months for him to receive 25 years for yet another auto theft. He was
paroled about 2 years later in March 1994. The killing occurred seven months later.
Defense lawyers at his capital murder trial said Jeffery Williams was the product of a miserable childhood and a victim of physical and sexual abuse. Prosecutors pointed out that during one of his prison terms, he had to be removed from duties as a hog utcher because he liked it too much.
A Harris County jury deliberated for 23 minutes before returning with a death sentence.
"You're not going to see a lot of protestations about him receiving the death penalty except for people who protest every death penalty case," McClellan said.
"There's no issues on guilt-innocence, there's no issues on mental retardation or competency or anything else."
On Tuesday, another Houston man, Robert Coulson, was executed for killing his sister and brother-in-law, who were among five of his relatives - including his parents - murdered in a scheme to collect $600,000 in inheritance.

Brenda:
I was glad to hear from you.  God has been my strength all along with the love through others.
I am very concerned over my mother at this moment at this early morning.  I would like anyone to send support letters to my mother to lift her spirits.  She has no money to bury me if I should be executed.
If anyone could send a donation for my funeral it would be greatly appreciated by me and my mother.
If not, TDCJ will do it and I will remain a number.  She will need help in donations and strength.
This will put me in comfort. Trusting if it may be God's will that He brings things around.
I love you all and thank you all who are willing to help.                - Jeffery Lynn Williams

        Please send your donation or a letter of encouragement to:
                                  Send to Jeffery's mother:
                                 Veronica Ruth Green
                               401 S. Cottonwood Street
                                  Crockett, Texas  75835
 

SIGN the petition to SAVE JEFFERY'S LIFE

       "Struggles of Life, Grounds Raised For Relief Appeals"
                                                by Jeffery Lynn Williams

Ineffective assistance of counsel : (1) Failure to obtain and present evidence of lesser included offenses    (2) Failure to obtain a jury instruction authorizing conviction for lesser included offenses.

Relief Denied, State...
Wondering if I wasn't from ghetto breed, nor poor - would I be free...
                                     "death row"
We are of a dieing breed, in need.  Like of old, Jews, as our Africa
Ancestors.  The spirit is still the same but they can't recognize or
identify our faces.
But, label our looks as a menace to society.
At one mistake, or one of the mistaken one.
Our youth has been brought back, point out and they say
" see he is a outcast breed, never lived out life, never should have breath."  so
we will help society.  By taken away this seed.
O' who will save the fatherless, or that widow with only one seed
Her life. her need.
She's in labor once more, while this earth yearns over a life of the
simplest, smallest one.
You can't hurt one, beyond reality.

                    Penpal Request

You would describe me as a mature Black man.  Physically and spiritually strong.  Yet, understanding, passionate being.  I follow my heart, free spirit.  I love nature, all of God's creations.  I'm looking for support, hoping for freedom.  Friends to anyone who desire to write.   I am 25 years of age.

                                                
                      JEFFERY LYNN WILLIAMS
                             999154  / 12CF  -77
                              Polunsky Unit DR
                             3872 FM 350 South
                              Livingston Texas
                                   77351 USA
 

Pen Pal Request From 'Voices From The Inside':  29 year old Afro-American, born Oct. 15. The 1st sign of zodiac-libra. I speak only English, but I can understand German words by dictionary. This is no limit to hobbies and interests, I am active. Yet, incarceration has limit me to reading fictions or history of all cultures, writing poems, drawing, exercising. In need of spiritual strength, and a sense of hope in this struggle situation of life or death I believe in God.  I am seeking pen-pals, race is no issue of important.
I am seeking letters that will brighten the days in these trying times.

Jeffery Lynn Williams #999154
Polunsky Unit
3872 FM 350 South
Livingston, TX
77351   USA

       JEFFERY WRITES ON HIS CASE AND CONVICTION:
 THE FACTS SURROUNDING THE COURT CASE OF JEFFERY WILLIAMS

JEFFERY LYNN WILLIAMS #999154
POLUNSKY UNIT
3872 F.M. 350 SOUTH
LIVINGSTON, TEXAS  77351

I was charged with the felony of capital murder.  The robbery and murder of
Barbara J. Lullins, October 26, 1994 in her apartment.

On May 5, 1995, the court read "punishment at death by lethal injection".
The Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the conviction in a public opinion
delivered December 18, 1996.  Williams vs. State, 937 S.W. 2d 479 (Tex. Crim.
App. 1996)

I entered a plea of not guilty, even by reason of temporary insanity to the
State appointed lawyers and solicitor.

My lack of memory failure, even shock which you don't receive counsel of a
valuable distinguishing, discreet doctor in characterizing my history of
hallucinations and nervous break-down and forgetfulness which I claim it was
the medication that caused these problems, I soon abandoned a year ago
after many side-effects.

I stand before the system struggling to stay alive, yet strong.  I have God to
thank daily for watching over me as I gain knowledge, hoping this system
does not take me with swiftness before I become aware of failures, the
injustice situation they put you in.  Lack of knowledge can kill you.

The issues of my case is farther greater, issues that may save my life.  I only
know little of the law, strategy that is produced wisely.

My Habeas Corpus was denied
Grounds raised for Relief Appeals:
    Ineffective assistance of counsel:
        1)  Failure to obtain and present evidence of lesser included offenses.
        2)  Failure to obtain a jury instruction authorizing conviction for lesser
             included offenses

This is what stands in the Federal Court.

Although, Habeas Corpus Attorney, State appointed Robin Norris claims,
due to the lack of expertise and the ineffectiveness of my first attorneys Ellis
McCullough, Roland Moore III and trial lawyers makes it difficult for
anyone coming behind them.  They assist prosecuting attorney by fashion.
Suppressed information, police reports.
A party I attended, highly toxicated from the win of a drinking contest.

The 2nd leading investigator, Tom McCorvey, knew me from my youth,
jumped me, beat me and bit me in the back.  Children Protection of West
Dallas in Houston took photos of the abuse, took me home.  I was 15 yrs. old
or younger.

Trial Attorney failure.
        The list can go on.  There is evidence that is present to prove that I was
wrongfully charged.  Even to the claim of innocence.
 
 

Brenda Kelly's Support Page For Jeffery Lynn Williams               Lots of information and links to artwork, writings, legal materials and more...

                         Thanks to Brenda Kelly's Support Page For Jeffery Lynn Williams for some of the following:

Amnesty International Execution Alert - Jeffery Lynn Williams

POEMS BY JEFFERY WILLIAMS

ART BY JEFFERY LYNN WILLIAMS

CHRISTIAN WRITINGS BY JEFFERY

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS - FIFTH CIRCUIT

                      The CCADP offers free webpages to over 500 Death Row Prisoners
                                              Contact us for more information.
            
                                                       "The Eyes Of The World Are Watching Now"