A Memphis man already doing life in prison for killing his estranged wife’s 18-year-old daughter was sentenced to an additional 90 years for trying to kill three other family members, including a young girl.
James Williams, 40, was convicted last month by a Criminal Court jury of first-degree murder for shooting Kawanda Wainwright on July 4, 2009, at 615 Mosby, where they had been celebrating the birthday of his estranged wife, Mary Taylor.
During an argument, Williams also shot Taylor in the finger and wounded her 6-year-old daughter -- also from another relationship -- in the thigh.
“This was a horrendous crime,” said Judge James Lammey. “If you try to kill your family, you should never see the light of day again.”
Williams, who has eight prior felony convictions and numerous misdemeanors, was sentenced to the maximum 25 years in prison for each attempted first-degree murder conviction and 15 years for using a firearm in a crime of violence.
All of the sentences are to be served consecutive to the life term that a jury gave him last month after convicting him of first-degree murder.
State prosecutor Pam Fleming said Williams had attacked the teenage girl in the past and noted that he had singled out the children that night who were not his own.
Defense attorney Anne Tipton said the argument was fueled by alcohol and that her client’s prior offenses were primarily property crimes rather than crimes of violence
