GREENEVILLE, Tenn. — Sean Williams' escape and child porn charges should not be combined into one trial. That's the recommendation of both prosecutors and Williams' defense attorneys.
Judge Ronnie Greer gave the two parties until Monday to decide their preference. At a hearing on Feb. 12, he had proposed combining the two if the prosecution wanted to argue the escape was evidence for the "consciousness of guilt" in the child porn case.
In its filing, the defense argued against holding one trial, saying the charges were not of a similar character or part of one common scheme. Prosecutors said they are not opposed to keeping the trials separate and holding the trial on the child porn charges on May 21, the date a judge had already set.
Judge Greer has not yet filed his decision.
Williams led authorities on a multi-state, monthlong manhunt after escaping from federal custody in East Tennessee. He was found in Florida in December 2023.