10 years later, Amite homicide suspect convicted, sentenced second time around

AMITE, La. (WGNO)— The suspect in a nearly 10-year-old homicide case has been sentenced to life after an April conviction in a Tangipahoa Parish courtroom.

According to court documents from the Twenty-first Judicial District Court, on June 17, 2015, 47-year-old Jermaine Williams, allegedly shot a person in the back a total of seven times, while in the parking lot of an Amite Dollar General off of Hwy 51.

Three minutes later, EMS arrived on the scene to render aid to the victim but reported the wounds were too severe and he died on the scene. Responding Amite Police Officers asked for the crowd to identify the alleged shooter and one person pointed out Williams.

Documents revealed William’s approached the officers saying “I had to do it. I had to protect myself, he had brass knuckles.” Officers searched Williams and confiscated a nine-millimeter magazine that contained seven bullets.

The gun he used along with Williams’ five children, were found in his vehicle which was parked behind the vehicle belonging to the victim’s girlfriend. A recount of the incident reads as such:

The victim’s girlfriend’s vehicle was parked in a parking spot in front of the Dollar General and
the neighboring building- which the victim was working construction for. William’s vehicle was
driven and parked at an angle behind the victim’s girlfriend’s vehicle blocking it in.

The victim’s girlfriend explained the victim and Williams had a tumultuous history- which was
becoming more volatile.

She continued to explain she came to visit the victim after her work. She was seated in the driver’s seat and the victim was leaning on the passenger door. While they
were speaking they saw Williams enter the Dollar General.

Still standing outside of the vehicle, the victim went to retrieve a cigarette from her purse in the
rear seat area. She claimed, at this point, Williams drove toward them, began to threaten the
victim with a pointed gun and then began shooting the semi automatic handgun.
She heard multiple gunshots and saw the victim collapse. She ran to the victim, called 911 and
proceeded to perform CPR by the direction of 911.

Initial investigations revealed one of the bullets severed the victim’s spine, paralyzing him from the chest down, while the other bullets damaged internal organs which led to a quick death.

During Williams’ testimony, he claimed the victim was watching him from the store window and as he was leaving the parking lot, he said he felt threatened, parked the car behind the girlfriend’s vehicle, and changed words with the victim.

During the case, Williams’ testimony was disproved as documents listed the windows of the store were mirrored making it difficult for the victim to see Williams inside the store. Williams also claimed the victim was carrying brass knuckles but officers found no knuckles on the scene.

A timeline of the crime was marked from the time Williams checked out to the victim’s death where three minutes and 21 seconds in total had passed. Without providing Amite officers with a reason for approaching the victim, it was concluded that if Williams felt threatened he ultimately would not have driven the car containing his family towards the threat and would have left the parking lot.

Williams was arrested the same day for a charge of second-degree murder. During the trial, his defense argued that his action was in self-defense with an insanity plea citing a previously diagnosed mental disorder.

William was sentenced on May 3, to life without the benefit of parole, probation, or
suspension of sentence. This was the second time Williams stood trial after the jury failed to reach a verdict in 2018.

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