Sean Williams Finally Makes Court Appearance

Sean Williams appeared in federal court in Greeneville on Thursday. Williams was in court for a multitude of reasons. One of those reasons was for the judge to rule on a motion by Williams’ attorney, Bryce McKenzie, to be removed from the case. Williams made the appearance handcuffed at the waist with shackles around his feet, surrounded by US Marshals and a bandage covering a puncture wound on his neck.

Williams plead not guilty to an escape charge, that’s the charge he was supposed to be arraigned on back in October when he escaped from an inmate transport van. Judge Cynthia Wyrick at one point cleared the courtroom for a conference with McKenzie about his request to be removed as Williams’ lawyer. Wyrick granted that motion and assigned Greeneville attorney Joe MaAfee as new counsel for Williams. The judge also pushed back Williams’ trial date for child pornography to March 26. That trial was originally set for January 23. The federal prosecutor in that case expects that trial top last about 4 days.

Sean Williams faces 15 to 30 years on each of the child pornography counts he faces as well and as many as five years for each of the escape charges. Trial for Williams’ escape charges are scheduled for March 19.