Williams defense team has to produce viability of expert witnesses

QUINCY — Judge Roger Thomson said he was glad to see Carlos Williams in court today.

“You need to be here to see how your case is going,” Thomson said to Williams, who didn’t make his last two court appearances, saying he was having knee problems which hindered him from going from the Adams County Jail to the courtroom.

Williams, 57, is accused of killing Orlando Smith, 20, by strangulation between May 27-30, 2019. Smith’s body was found May 30, 2019, in the 200 block of Koch’s Lane. He faces three counts of first-degree murder.

Williams was arrested Nov. 19, 2019, when he appeared in court in an unrelated case and has been in jail for 30 months on $5 million bond.

Adams County First Assistant State’s Attorney Todd Eyler asked the court for more details on potential expert witnesses and Thomson concurred. Defense attorneys Vanessa Pratt and Nick Rober must have the details on the expert witness or witnesses to the court and prosecution by June 22 and Williams will then be back in court on July 6.

Rober had previously stated in court that he would make a motion to ask for funds from the county to hire an expert to review the scientific evidence in the case.