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Rehoboth Shooting Case Ends With Conviction

   Written by on December 23, 2015 at 11:10 am

VICTORIA – A 25-year-old Lunenburg County man of 2471 Rehoboth Road, Victoria, Va., identified as Shaheed Khalil Williams, was sentenced recently in Lunenburg Circuit Court to an active term of 10 years in prison on felony convictions of Attempted Malicious Wounding and Possession of Firearm by a Felon as a result of shooting a handgun at his older cousin in the house where they resided with their aunt and uncle who raised them. No injuries were incurred.  Williams received an additional five years suspended subject to numerous conditions.

According to Commonwealth’s Attorney Robert Clement, the incident began about 7:00 p.m. on May 10, 2015 when Terence Garnes fussed at Williams for abusing an adult girlfriend outside the residence.  The argument then escalated to a physical fight in which Garnes dominated Williams.  When allowed to get up, Williams obtained his handgun from his room.  Garnes wrestled the gun away from him, and it fell to the floor.  Williams’ aunt picked it up, but Williams grabbed it away from her and chased Garnes down a hallway.  Garnes said he heard the gun misfire twice, and he ducked into his bedroom closet.  Williams entered the bedroom and shot at least twice. It was also alleged that he shot from the outside through a window.   A bullet was recovered by Deputy Sheriff Adam Martin from the bedroom, having apparently passed through the closet door. There was a second hole in the closet door as well.  Garnes said his two young children, ages two and three, were also in the room.  Garnes’ wife and aunt and uncle were in the house as well.  Williams fled the scene and was not found until about five weeks later when he was arrested.  The gun was never recovered.

At the sentencing hearing, Williams’ aunt testified on his behalf, describing how Garnes had overcome Williams in the fight, and stating how Williams helped them around the house.

Clement argued that Williams’ past criminal record, including two felonies as a juvenile, and a sex offense conviction when 17 years old and tried as an adult, and felony convictions in 2009 for Distribution of Cocaine, called for an extensive sentence to protect the citizens of the county from his criminal behavior.  “The best predictor of future behavior is his past behavior,” said Clement.

The defense asked the judge to consider sentencing Williams at the low end of the Sentencing Guidelines at four years, ten months.  Clement asked the judge to give the high end of the guidelines at 10 years, 9 months, or even higher. The judge imposed 10 years on the Attempted Malicious Wounding with two suspended, and five years on the Possession of a Firearm by a Felon with three suspended.

In addition, the defendant will be subject to conditions of good behavior for 20 years, supervised probation upon his release for five years, and  warrantless searches for five years .   

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