The Mississippi Supreme Court has ordered a new trial for a Yazoo County woman convicted of manslaughter last year in the stabbing death of her father.
The court appealed the manslaughter conviction of Courtney Williams, who was convicted in 2021 in the stabbing death of her father, James Williams. She was sentenced to 20 years, with 15 years to serve. However, she appealed, arguing that "the trial court erred by refusing certain jury instructions and the trial court erred by denying her motion for judgement notwithstanding the verdict."
Today, the State Supreme Court has reversed Williams' conviction and sentencing, ordering for a new trial.
"Courtney Williams appeals her manslaughter conviction," the court states. "Because the trial court erroneously refused Courtney's proposed jury instructions related to her right to stand her ground, her conviction and sentence are reversed, and the case is remanded for a new trial."
According to the court's records, James Williams was found dead inside his vehicle outside of his home. Autopsy reports said his "cause of death was stabbing of the torso and that the manner of death was homicide."
Courtney Williams was indicted and charged with first-degree murder. However, after her trial in April of 2021, she was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to serve 15 years in a state correctional facility.
More details will appear in the next print edition of The Yazoo Herald.
