Douglas J. Berman, a law professor at Ohio State University, said that at the least, judges should be convinced beyond a reasonable doubt when considering "big-ticket" accusations. The federal public defender's office has called for the use at sentencing of acquitted and uncharged conduct to be abolished or strictly reined in.
The key witness in the drug case against Williams was to be Robin Welshons, who was facing drug charges.
She agreed to cooperate with a federal Drug Enforcement Administration agent by making recorded telephone calls and buying drugs from Williams in 2005, according to court documents. The night before her Feb. 8, 2006, death, she called a federal agent to express concern for her safety, prosecutors said.
FOR THE RECORD - An article in the Maryland section of Friday's editions of The Sun about the sentencing of a Harford County man on drug charges misspelled the first name of the defense attorney.
The attorney's name is Christie Needleman
The Sun regrets the error.
Hours later - two days from beginning an 18-month prison sentence - Welshons was fatally shot at Ken's Motel on U.S. 40 in Aberdeen. Detective Donald Licato of the Aberdeen police testified last week that the defendant's family members told him about their suspicions that Williams was involved in Welshons' death.
His father said Williams came to his house the night before her death to pick up a .357 revolver and vowed to "take care of Robin Welshons," and his sister told police that she overheard him say that he had "to do something about Robin Welshons."
Needleman said the testimony was a "pile of words without a physical scrap of evidence."
justin.fenton@baltsun.com
madison.park@baltsun.com
Welshons timeline
2005
*Oct. 13: Robin Welshons buys 14 grams of cocaine from Gary "Fat Boy" Williams Jr.
*Nov. 1: Welshons buys 28 grams of cocaine from Williams.
*Nov. 17: Welshons buys 53.8 grams of crack cocaine from Williams. In a recorded telephone call, Williams questions Welshons about being an informant.
*Dec. 1: Search warrant is executed at Williams' home, where he tells officer he knew who had "informed" on him.
STYLE: INFOBOX
-?
2006
*Feb. 7: Welshons calls a Drug Enforcement Administration task force officer expressing concern for her safety.
*Feb. 8: Welshons is shot dead at an Aberdeen motel. Her family and friends say her death is connected to undercover work as an informant, but police refuse to confirm.
*Feb 9: Charges against Williams are filed for the Nov. 1 sale of cocaine in Harford County. Statement of charges refers to a confidential informant.
STYLE: INFOBOX
-?
2007
*Sept. 4: Williams is indicted by a federal grand jury on two counts of selling cocaine and one count of selling crack cocaine.
*Dec. 20: Federal jury convicts Williams on the drug charges.
STYLE: INFOBOX
-?
2008
May 9: Prosecutors connect Williams to Welshons' death during his sentencing hearing.
[Court documents]
