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Juror Speaks Out After Inmate Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murdering Federal Corrections Officer

SCRANTON — Life in prison without parole. That sentence was handed down to the inmate convicted of killing a corrections officer at the federal prison in ...
con-ui

SCRANTON -- Life in prison without parole.

That sentence was handed down to the inmate convicted of killing a corrections officer at the federal prison in Wayne County.

A jury could not decide on the death penalty for Jessie Con-ui, so he was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

The killer was already serving a life sentence when he murdered Officer Eric Williams.

“It leaves me shocked. It leaves me angry,” said Don Williams, the father of Eric.

Family and friends of slain Federal Corrections Officer Eric Williams were clearly devastated that a jury failed to sentence their son's killer to death.

Con-ui was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after a jury couldn't reach a verdict after deliberating for five hours at the Federal Courthouse in Scranton.

“This man was already doing life. He committed a hideous murder on my son, and they gave him life again. You know what they did to him for doing what he did to my boy?” said Don Williams. “They did nothing. They did absolutely nothing.”

Con-ui was convicted of the brutal killing of Williams who worked as a corrections officer at the federal prison in Wayne County where Con-ui had already been serving a life sentence.

Standing with Williams' family was Williams' friend and co-worker Darrell Palmer.

Palmer represents the union that serves corrections officers.

“This is how we treat our law enforcement officers?” said Palmer. “[Eric] was working, as Mr. Williams said. He was already doing life. He murdered his son. He murdered a federal officer, and nothing was done.”

Newswatch 16 spoke to one juror.

Amy Wiedlich of Wilkes-Barre says 11 of the 12 jurors wanted him to get the death the penalty.

“I want the Williams family to know that 11 of us strongly felt that the death penalty was warranted and that for a month and a half, we thought about their son. We thought about the viciousness of this crime, and it weighed very heavily on us,” said Wiedlich.

Defense attorneys declined to talk to Newswatch 16. The prosecution said a statement would be issued from its office on Tuesday.

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