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The '''Megan Williams case''' involves a 20-year-old African American woman from ], who was kidnapped, raped and tortured by six people, including several members of one family<ref>{{cite web|author=Jennifer Dorr|url=http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/09/11/woman.tortured/index.html?eref=ib_us|title=Torture suspects may face hate crime charges|website=CNN.com|date=2007-09-11|accessdate=2017-01-07}}</ref> in a racist attack.
The Megan Williams case involves a 20-year-old African American woman from West Virginia who was kidnapped, raped and tortured in an allegedly racist attack by six white residents from Logan County, three of whom are women. Among many other things, the suspects are charged with stabbing Williams, dousing her with hot water, and forcing her to eat rat, dog, and human feces. In addition, the suspects allegedly hurled racial slurs at her while doing so. The torture and sexual assault was carried out for about a week. Some civil rights leaders, some community activists and others have asserted that this fact makes the event subject to prosecution under hate crimes statutes. Authorities did not initially file hate crime charges in the attack, but prosecutors have not completely ruled out such a move down the road. When pressed on the possibility of such charges, they have said that they are focused on crimes with the toughest penalties and note that the maximum sentence for a hate crime is just 10 years.


Among other things, the suspects were charged with stabbing Williams, dousing her with hot water, and forcing her to eat rat, dog, and human feces. In addition, the suspects were alleged to have hurled ] at her while doing so. The torture and sexual assault was said to have been carried out for about a week. At the time of Williams' removal from the residence, widely circulated photos of Williams in the hospital showed stab wounds on her legs and her hair seemingly pulled from its roots.
⚫ ==Background==
⚫ Williams had a "social relationship" with Bobby Ray Brewster, one of the six suspects currently in custody.<ref name="NationalLedger">{{cite news |first=Jim |last=Roberts|title=Megan Williams Tortured: Black Woman Held, Abused by Six Whites |url=http://www.nationalledger.com/artman/publish/article_272616031.shtml |work= |publisher=The National Ledger |date=] ] |accessdate=2007-10-08 }}</ref> Brewster was previously arrested on ]{{when}} in connection with a domestic battery charge involving Williams. According to investigators, Williams may have been kidnapped immediately after he was released from jail ], when Williams visited his home to see him.<ref name="WilmingtonJournal">{{cite news |first=Cash |last=Michaels|title=WEST VIRGINIA VICTIM WAS CAPTIVE FOR A MONTH, AUTHORITIES SAY, WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 20-26, 2007 |url=http://wilmingtonjournal.blackpressusa.com/news/Article/Article.asp?NewsID=82613&sID=12 |work= |publisher=The Wilmington Journal |date=] ] |accessdate=2007-10-03 }}</ref>


] leaders, community activists and others asserted that the racial motive made the incident subject to prosecution under hate crimes statutes. Authorities did not initially file hate crime charges in the attack, but prosecutors did not rule out such a move down the road. When pressed on the possibility of such charges, authorities said that they were focused on the charges with the toughest penalties, noting that the maximum sentence for a hate crime was just 10 years. One defendant was convicted of a hate crime in the incident.
⚫ ===Megan Williams' account of events===
⚫ Contradicting earlier press reports, Williams claimed she was set up to be held by the six suspects under the assumption that she was going to a party. "When I first went up there, a girl I knew named Christa, she took me up there, she said we were going to a party. She said she had to make a run and she would be right back. She didn’t come back."<ref name="Final Call News">{{cite news |title=One-on-One Interview with West Virginia Race Torture Victim Megan Williams
|url=http://www.finalcall.com/artman/publish/article_3997.shtml |work= |publisher=Final Call News |date=] ] }}</ref>


In October 2009, Williams recanted many of the accusations, including the accusation that the attack was racially motivated, against five of the defendants. However, she that she was held against her will, sexually and physically abused, accusing Bobby Ray Brewster, whom Williams knew and had visited on occasion before the incident, of abuse.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wvgazette.com/News/200910201215 |title=Megan Williams to recant Logan County sex-torture testimony |publisher=Wvgazette.com |date=1969-12-31 |accessdate=2013-03-24 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091214220615/http://wvgazette.com/News/200910201215 |archivedate=2009-12-14 }}</ref> She was not charged with filing false charges.
==Megan Williams legal case==
⚫ Bobby Ray Brewster and five other suspects including his mother, Frankie Lee, 49, Danny Combs, 20, George Messer, 27, Karen Burton, 46, and her daughter Alisha, 23 were all charged with kidnapping, the most serious charge that can carry up to life in prison upon conviction. They were all also charged with at least one count each of first-degree sexual offense, which if convicted, could carry a sentence of up to 35 years in prison.<ref name="WilmingtonJournal" /> On ], charges against Karen Burton were sent to a grand jury. Charges included kidnapping, first degree sexual assault, malicious wounding, assault during the commission of a felony and 13 counts of battery.<ref name="apsource">{{cite news |first=Shaya |last=Mohajer|title=Alleged Torture Case Sent to Grand Jury |url=http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5idxqh511E5lHfNvljI2sQ1H52W7gD8S2RJ6O1 |work= |publisher=The Associated Press |date=] ] |accessdate=2007-10-08 }}</ref> Charges against the other five suspects are expected to reach the grand jury in January.<ref name="apsource" />


⚫ ==Background==
⚫ In February 2008, Alisha Burton and George Messer both plead guilty to assault and kidnapping and were sentenced to 10 years each. <ref> </ref>
⚫ Williams had a "social relationship" with Bobby Ray Brewster, one of the six initial suspects.<ref name="NationalLedger">{{cite news|first=Jim|last=Roberts|title=Megan Williams Tortured: Black Woman Held, Abused by Six Whites|url=http://www.nationalledger.com/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi?archive=17&num=16031|publisher=The National Ledger|date=September 13, 2007|accessdate=2007-10-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080225091211/http://www.nationalledger.com/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi?archive=17&num=16031|archive-date=February 25, 2008|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Brewster was previously arrested on July 18, 2008, in connection with a domestic battery charge involving Williams. According to investigators, Williams may have been kidnapped immediately after he was released from jail August 2, when Williams visited his home to see him.<ref name="WilmingtonJournal">{{cite news|first=Cash |last=Michaels |title=WEST VIRGINIA VICTIM WAS CAPTIVE FOR A MONTH, AUTHORITIES SAY, WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 20-26, 2007 |url=http://wilmingtonjournal.blackpressusa.com/news/Article/Article.asp?NewsID=82613&sID=12 |publisher=The Wilmington Journal |date=September 26, 2007 |accessdate=2007-10-03 }}{{dead link|date=June 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>


⚫ ==Megan Williams' account of events and legal case==
⚫ On ], ], Karen Burton, one of the women involved in the attack, was given one 10-year sentence for violation of civil rights and two 2-10 year sentences for assault. She was the only person involved that was charged with a hate crime. Frankie Brewster received 10-25 years for second-degree sexual assault. They had both pled guilty in exchange for reduced sentences. Carmen Williams, Megan's mother, expressed frustration that they had not received life sentences, which is the maximum penalty for kidnapping. <ref></ref> <ref> </ref>
⚫ Williams claimed she was set up to be held by the six suspects under the assumption that she was going to a party. "When I first went up there, a girl I knew named Christa, she took me up there, she said we were going to a party. She said she had to make a run and she would be right back. She didn’t come back."<ref name="Final Call News">{{cite news|title=One-on-One Interview with West Virginia Race Torture Victim Megan Williams|url=http://www.finalcall.com/artman/publish/article_3997.shtml|publisher=Final Call News|date=October 9, 2007 }}</ref>


Bobby Ray Brewster and five other suspects including his mother, Frankie Lee, 49, Danny Combs, 20, George Messer, 27, Karen Burton, 46, and her daughter Alisha, 23 were all charged with kidnapping, the most serious charge that can carry up to life in prison upon conviction. They were all also charged with at least one count each of first-degree sexual offense, which if convicted, could carry a sentence of up to 35 years in prison.<ref name="WilmingtonJournal"/>
⚫ Bobby Brewster plead guilty to second-degree sexual assault, conspiracy to commit kidnapping and malicious assault. He was sentenced for 13 to 40 years in prison in July 2008.<ref></ref> Danny Combs will stand 20 years for conspiracy to commit kidnapping. He plead guilty to sexual assault, assault during the commission of a felony, and conspiracy to commit kidnapping or holding hostage in September 2008.<ref></ref>


⚫ On October 11, 2007, charges against Karen Burton were sent to a grand jury. Charges included kidnapping, first degree sexual assault, malicious wounding, assault during the commission of a felony and 13 counts of battery.<ref name="apsource">{{cite news|first=Shaya|last=Mohajer|title=Alleged Torture Case Sent to Grand Jury|url=http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5idxqh511E5lHfNvljI2sQ1H52W7gD8S2RJ6O1|agency=Associated Press|date=October 4, 2007|accessdate=2007-10-08|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011044526/http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5idxqh511E5lHfNvljI2sQ1H52W7gD8S2RJ6O1|archivedate=October 11, 2007}}</ref> Charges against the other five suspects are expected to reach the grand jury in January.<ref name="apsource"/>
==Media attention==
This case has raised concerns by some media commentators that the race of a victim of violent crime has an impact on media coverage, as Williams is black and her assailants were white.<ref>''''</ref><ref>'''' Ayesha Awan, IDS, 10/3/2007</ref> CNN contributor Roland S. Martin questioned why this case had not been a source of greater outrage for the public and in media.<ref>''''</ref> Shaquita Howard of ''The Reflector'' writes that the lack of national media attention for this case is a reflection of racism in the United States.<ref>{{cite news |first=Shaquita |last=Howard |title=Who gets noticed? |url=http://media.www.reflector-online.com/media/storage/paper938/news/2007/09/28/Opinion/Who-Gets.Noticed-2998185.shtml |work= |publisher=] |date=] ] |accessdate=2007-10-03 |work=]}} </ref> Megan Williams, her mother, and Crystal Boyd were featured and interviewed on '']'' on March 4, 2008.


⚫ In February 2008, Alisha Burton and George Messer both pleaded guilty to assault and kidnapping and were sentenced to 10 years each.<ref name="wowktv.com"> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110227172535/http://wowktv.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=35981|date=February 27, 2011}}</ref>
==See also==
*]


⚫ On March 13, 2008, Karen Burton, one of the women involved in the attack, was given one 10-year sentence for violation of civil rights and two 2-10 year sentences for assault. She was the only person involved who was charged with a hate crime. Frankie Brewster received 10–25 years for second-degree sexual assault. They had both pleaded guilty in exchange for reduced sentences. Carmen Williams, Megan's mother, expressed frustration that they had not received life sentences, which is the maximum penalty for kidnapping.<ref name="wowktv.com"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/03/13/woman.tortured.ap/index.html|title=Victim's mom: Maximum sentence not enough|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080313231213/http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/03/13/woman.tortured.ap/index.html|archivedate=March 13, 2008}}</ref>
⚫ ==References==
{{reflist}}


⚫ Bobby Brewster pleaded guilty to second-degree sexual assault, conspiracy to commit kidnapping and malicious assault. He was sentenced to 13 to 40 years in prison in July 2008.<ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110227172535/http://wowktv.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=41369 |date=February 27, 2011 }}</ref> Danny Combs will serve 20 years for conspiracy to commit kidnapping. He pleaded guilty to sexual assault, assault during the commission of a felony, and conspiracy to commit kidnapping or holding hostage in September 2008.<ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110227172535/http://wowktv.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=44682|date=February 27, 2011}}</ref>
⚫ {{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Megan}}
⚫ ]
]
]


⚫ ==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}


==External links==
{{US-crime-bio-stub}}
* , usatoday.com, October 30, 2007.<!--Based on recantation-->

⚫ {{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Megan}}
⚫ ]

Latest revision as of 06:40, 5 October 2021

The Megan Williams case involves a 20-year-old African American woman from West Virginia, who was kidnapped, raped and tortured by six people, including several members of one family in a racist attack.

Among other things, the suspects were charged with stabbing Williams, dousing her with hot water, and forcing her to eat rat, dog, and human feces. In addition, the suspects were alleged to have hurled racial slurs at her while doing so. The torture and sexual assault was said to have been carried out for about a week. At the time of Williams' removal from the residence, widely circulated photos of Williams in the hospital showed stab wounds on her legs and her hair seemingly pulled from its roots.

Civil rights leaders, community activists and others asserted that the racial motive made the incident subject to prosecution under hate crimes statutes. Authorities did not initially file hate crime charges in the attack, but prosecutors did not rule out such a move down the road. When pressed on the possibility of such charges, authorities said that they were focused on the charges with the toughest penalties, noting that the maximum sentence for a hate crime was just 10 years. One defendant was convicted of a hate crime in the incident.

In October 2009, Williams recanted many of the accusations, including the accusation that the attack was racially motivated, against five of the defendants. However, she maintained that she was held against her will, sexually and physically abused, accusing Bobby Ray Brewster, whom Williams knew and had visited on occasion before the incident, of abuse. She was not charged with filing false charges.

Background

Williams had a "social relationship" with Bobby Ray Brewster, one of the six initial suspects. Brewster was previously arrested on July 18, 2008, in connection with a domestic battery charge involving Williams. According to investigators, Williams may have been kidnapped immediately after he was released from jail August 2, when Williams visited his home to see him.

Megan Williams' account of events and legal case

Williams claimed she was set up to be held by the six suspects under the assumption that she was going to a party. "When I first went up there, a girl I knew named Christa, she took me up there, she said we were going to a party. She said she had to make a run and she would be right back. She didn’t come back."

Bobby Ray Brewster and five other suspects including his mother, Frankie Lee, 49, Danny Combs, 20, George Messer, 27, Karen Burton, 46, and her daughter Alisha, 23 were all charged with kidnapping, the most serious charge that can carry up to life in prison upon conviction. They were all also charged with at least one count each of first-degree sexual offense, which if convicted, could carry a sentence of up to 35 years in prison.

On October 11, 2007, charges against Karen Burton were sent to a grand jury. Charges included kidnapping, first degree sexual assault, malicious wounding, assault during the commission of a felony and 13 counts of battery. Charges against the other five suspects are expected to reach the grand jury in January.

In February 2008, Alisha Burton and George Messer both pleaded guilty to assault and kidnapping and were sentenced to 10 years each.

On March 13, 2008, Karen Burton, one of the women involved in the attack, was given one 10-year sentence for violation of civil rights and two 2-10 year sentences for assault. She was the only person involved who was charged with a hate crime. Frankie Brewster received 10–25 years for second-degree sexual assault. They had both pleaded guilty in exchange for reduced sentences. Carmen Williams, Megan's mother, expressed frustration that they had not received life sentences, which is the maximum penalty for kidnapping.

Bobby Brewster pleaded guilty to second-degree sexual assault, conspiracy to commit kidnapping and malicious assault. He was sentenced to 13 to 40 years in prison in July 2008. Danny Combs will serve 20 years for conspiracy to commit kidnapping. He pleaded guilty to sexual assault, assault during the commission of a felony, and conspiracy to commit kidnapping or holding hostage in September 2008.

References

  1. Jennifer Dorr (2007-09-11). "Torture suspects may face hate crime charges". CNN.com. Retrieved 2017-01-07.
  2. "Megan Williams to recant Logan County sex-torture testimony". Wvgazette.com. 1969-12-31. Archived from the original on 2009-12-14. Retrieved 2013-03-24.
  3. Roberts, Jim (September 13, 2007). "Megan Williams Tortured: Black Woman Held, Abused by Six Whites". The National Ledger. Archived from the original on February 25, 2008. Retrieved October 8, 2007.
  4. ^ Michaels, Cash (September 26, 2007). "WEST VIRGINIA VICTIM WAS CAPTIVE FOR A MONTH, AUTHORITIES SAY, WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 20-26, 2007". The Wilmington Journal. Retrieved 2007-10-03.
  5. "One-on-One Interview with West Virginia Race Torture Victim Megan Williams". Final Call News. October 9, 2007.
  6. ^ Mohajer, Shaya (October 4, 2007). "Alleged Torture Case Sent to Grand Jury". Associated Press. Archived from the original on October 11, 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-08.
  7. ^ Two More Sentenced in Logan Torture Case Archived February 27, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  8. "Victim's mom: Maximum sentence not enough". Archived from the original on March 13, 2008.
  9. Fifth Person Pleads Guilty in Megan Williams Case Archived February 27, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  10. Megan Williams Torture Case Is Over Archived February 27, 2011, at the Wayback Machine

External links

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