Latest news with #DavionWilliams
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Yahoo
Guilty verdict in Hurricane Harbor murder trial after gang, self-defense claims
Nearly every element of a group fight near the inner gate at Six Flags Hurricane Harbor was in radical dispute at a murder trial this week. There was no consensus on who threw the first punch at the Arlington water park at closing time on a June evening in 2021. No one could agree on whether the brawl of as many as nine young men was limited to fists or if its participants were also kicking and stomping. Perhaps most critical, there were varied accounts on whether one gunshot or multiple shots were fired during the fray. It is clear, however, that at the close of a day of teenage jubilance spent flirting with girls, at a wave pool and on water slides, Dai'trell Teal was shot once by a bullet that entered his back. The projectile traveled in his body from right to left, back to front as it pierced his esophagus and left a gaping hole in his aorta, causing the 16-year-old to bleed to death as he laid on a raised plant bed. The Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney's Office concluded that Teal was not a gang member and was not involved in the fight immediately before the shooting. The defense did not concede that Teal was not in the fight and suggested Teal left the park with at least one documented gang member. Teal was, prosecutors Lloyd Whelchel and Kobe Landry argued, wholly innocent. The defendant, Cameron Stephens, was trying to shoot another teenager named Davion Williams, but shot Teal instead, the prosecutors argued to the jury at Stephens' murder trial in a state district court in Tarrant County. 🚨 More top stories from our newsroom: → Fort Worth ISD board approves plan to close 18 schools → TCU student murder case moves toward trial → Mansfield ISD board approves superintendent's contract [Get our breaking news alerts.] The killing occurred as one gang member attempted to shoot another, the prosecutors suggested. Stephens was not, according to Irving police, a documented gang member, but he was associated with APE or After Paper Everyday, a subset of YIC, or Youngins In Charge. YIC is a rival of 2200, a gang of which Williams is a member, authorities said. 'He wasn't in the fight, and he was the guy that got killed,' Landry argued of Teal, who had just finished his sophomore year at Martin High School. The jury's instructions included an advisory on transferred intent, a principle, when applied to murder, that a person is guilty if they cause the death of a person while intending to cause the death of a different person. After a six-day trial, a jury in Criminal District Court No. 3 on Friday found Stephens guilty of murder and assessed his punishment at 40 years in prison. The jury was directed to consider a prison term of five to 99 years, or life. Appointed defense attorney Kathy Lowthorp asked the panel to assess a term at the lower end of the range. Whelchel requested a life term of the jury. Stephens will become eligible for parole after he serves 20 years. Lowthorp, who represented Stephens with defense attorneys Cami Gildner and Shelby Barrett, argued that the killing was justified by self-defense or defense of a third party, Stephens' half brother, who was in the fight when the defendant fired. Stephens, from the witness stand, on Wednesday testified that he was himself afraid and was in fear for his half brother. Stephens testified that, as he was being beaten, he went to his car to get a gun he left under a seat, heard a pop elsewhere and fired once, aiming above the fighting group. Stephens admitted that after firing the gun, he drove from the scene and left the gun in a dumpster. Police did not find the weapon. Stephens testified that he regretted getting rid of the gun because, he suggested, a toolmark examiner could have conducted a test that may have shown that the bullet pulled from Teal's body during an autopsy was not fired from the defendant's gun. 'He didn't do it, but if he did do it, it's self-defense,' Whelchel summarized his assessment of the defense argument in the state's closing. This is a developing story. For the latest updates, sign up for breaking news alerts.
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Champaign city councilman misses 3rd meeting in a row after swastika post backlash
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — The Champaign City Council met Tuesday night with one member noticeably absent. It's the third meeting in a row without Davion Williams. It's been a controversial few months for council member Williams — first for comments about Jewish people at a meeting in December, and then a swastika posted on his social media in January. The last time Williams was in attendance was back at the February 4th meeting. This was when he was on the receiving end of numerous public comments denouncing his behavior toward the Jewish community. Before the meeting, Williams had made a controversial Facebook post where he changed his profile picture to a swastika and later defended the post in the comments. He received backlash and has not shown up to a meeting since then. READ MORE: Jewish community addresses Champaign city councilman after swastika post A University of Illinois student council representative said Williams' absence has been noticed at meetings and puts the council in limbo. 'I think he's in a position right now where he's just, he's not, it's not the right fit for him to be on the council,' said Theodore Kemna, Champaign City Liason, U of I Student Council. 'I think he has broken the trust of the people. And I think his presence is unwanted at meetings, but also his lack of presence at meetings is depriving a large portion of our city of representation. I think he should resign. That's my opinion. I think that's the opinion of most people. And I think him not resigning but also not showing up is failing everyone.' In early February, Mayor Feinen and the rest of the city council released a statement denouncing Williams' swastika post on Facebook. 'We cannot be silent today!': Champaign mayor, city council members denounce swastika Facebook post She has also said on numerous occasions there is 'no mechanism' for the council to be able to remove a member and that the decision comes down to a choice from Williams himself. WCIA reached out to Davion Williams for comment and has not heard back yet. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Champaign reacts to city council member's swastika post at Tuesday meeting
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — Many people in the Champaign community are feeling 'dismayed' over the actions of a Champaign City Council member. People are calling for Davion Williams to step down after posting a swastika on social media. WCIA reported that Williams ultimately took the post down and apologized. But at Tuesday night's city council meeting, he did not commit to step down. Rabbi Alan Cook said there were a handful of people there vouching for Williams' character — but most were there condemning his actions. Cook said he's frustrated not only by this, but also what he and other Jewish leaders in the community see as a pattern. Jewish community addresses Champaign city councilman after swastika post 'This is the second time that Davion Williams promotes Judeophobic tropes in the past month and a half,' Illini Hillel Executive Director Erez Cohen said. In December, WCIA previously reported that Champaign City council Member Davion Williams issued an apology for comments he made at the end of a council meeting. He talked about the war in Gaza and also said that Jewish people have a lot of control over things like music, media and food. Now he's back under fire — this time for changing his Facebook profile picture to a swastika. 'It was heartening in that room to see that this was not only an issue that was of concern to the Jewish community,' Sinai Temple Rabbi Alan Cook said. After making the post, Williams had said the swastika had been used for thousands of years prior across cultures and religions for positive reasons. He released an apology statement and apologized again in-person at Tuesday's meeting. 'It was never my intentions to harm anyone or make anyone feel disrespected, dismissed or unseen,' Council Member Davion Williams said. 'We cannot be silent today!': Champaign mayor, city council members denounce swastika Facebook post But Jewish leaders like Cook said this isn't enough. 'To apologize and to re-offend, sort of sets up a perpetual cycle where you become less believable about how contrite you truly are,' Cook said. Cook was one of the people who spoke up during public comment. He called for council member Williams to step down from his position — and he's not alone. The executive director of Illini Hillel also chimed in at the meeting. 'Williams should take the responsibility for his actions. I would like to see him step down,' Cohen said. The Mayor of Champaign also spoke up about the situation during Tuesday night's meeting. 'I will be waiting to see if there is that turning. That is part of the heartfelt apology, because if there is not, there really should be a resignation,' Mayor Deborah Feinen said. The council said there is no law on the books to remove a council member so that decision is up to him. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Jim Dey: Those who don't vote are stuck with decisions made for them
Feb. 5—Champaign City Council member Davion Williams said he wanted to spark a "conversation" when he posted a swastika on his social media site. In that context, it's fair to ask: With whom and about what? Here's one topic for discussion: Just how ignorant about the history of World War II and the Holocaust does one have to be to post a swastika symbol on social media and not expect serious blowback? Williams got the conversation he sought, but surely not the one he wanted, whatever that was. It came mostly in the form of denunciations of his judgment, calls for him to resign and demands for an apology. To which he initially responded, "I was just speaking, using my First Amendment right to say what I want. ... Why do I need to resign for making a statement? People have said far worse than that." They surely have. But the First Amendment's free speech guarantee does not immunize speakers from responsibility for the words and symbols they use or others' angry denunciations. It wasn't long before Williams was singing a different tune, this one in the form of an apology issued three days later. That, of course, raises another question: Just how sincere is a shotgun apology? Not being mind readers, the public will have to take Williams at his word while remaining mindful that his "swastika" moment followed on the heels of antisemitic comments he made at a city council meeting. He apologized for them, too. Williams wrestles with big ideas, but he doesn't overburden himself with the necessity of actually understanding them. Consequently, he doesn't stick just his foot in his mouth, but his entire leg. That leg ought to render him mute for a while. But he'll return. Those who don't know what they don't know invariably do. In the meantime, here's another question to consider, one some people might prefer to avoid: Who's responsible for the Williams show? He's obviously responsible for what he says and does. But who gave him the municipal platform he uses to shape municipal policy on dozens of important local issues and address issues about which he knows little? The voters, in their sometimes non-infinite wisdom, did. Williams got elected in 2021, defeating incumbent Clarissa Nickerson Fourman, in one of those municipal elections where hardly any eligible voters bothered to cast a ballot. Williams picked up 122 votes, Fourman 99, Azark Cobbs 32. Under our system, the candidate who gets the most votes wins, even if the most votes reflect a relative handful. That doesn't reflect majority rule, but majority-of-those-who-bother-to-vote rule. Champaign and Urbana have municipal elections coming soon — a Feb. 25 primary and an April 1 general election. There are all kinds of low-profile but important issues on the ballot. In the primary, Urbana will be, for all intents and purposes, electing a mayor, and there are two contested races for the city council. In the April 1 general election, there are dozens of township, municipal and school board elections. They will determine public decisions made in the next two to four years, and they matter. They also may give public platforms to people like Williams. By the way, he's running unopposed. That's more proof people get the government they deserve.
Yahoo
04-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Champaign city councilman apologizes for ‘historical context' swastika post
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — The Champaign city councilman who posted a swastika on social media last week has apologized. The City of Champaign released a statement from Davion Williams Tuesday morning, in which he wrote a 'sincere and heartfelt' apology. He said it was never his intention to cause harm, but he acknowledged the pain he caused and said he takes full responsibility for the impact of his words. 'We cannot be silent today!': Champaign mayor, city council members denounce swastika Facebook post 'As a public servant, my goal has always been to foster education, understanding, and unity within our diverse community,' Williams said in part. 'My intent in sharing the historical origins of the swastika was to shed light on its pre-20th-century meanings, not to diminish or ignore its horrific use by the Nazi regime. However, I now fully recognize that regardless of historical context, this symbol is overwhelmingly linked to the atrocities of the Holocaust and the unimaginable suffering endured by millions.' Williams added that in the future, he will prioritize community meetings and listening sessions so the people in his district can voice their concerns and will work with Jewish community leaders, historians and community members to better understand their concerns. After speaking with two pastors whose churches are in his district, Williams said they've agreed to host a community meeting at Sheriff Temple AOH on Feb. 13. 'My hope is that through my actions, I can begin to rebuild trust and reaffirm my commitment to the people of District One, City of Champaign and the nation. I want to ensure that my future actions fully align with the values of the community I serve,' Williams said. 'Moving forward, my focus will be on addressing the real needs of my constituents—whether it be economic development, public safety, housing, or social justice. My commitment to you is that I will lead with empathy, humility, and a renewed dedication to unity.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
