Lowndes County Sheriff John “Big John” Williams was fatally shot in the line of duty less than a year ago while responding to a call about a disturbance at a Hayneville gas station.
William Chase Johnson, 18, turned himself in hours after the shooting and has been charged with capital murder. His attorneys in court last week attempted to get a bond set for Johnson, who has been in jail since late November 2019, per WSFA.
While the court has not ruled yet on that new request for bond, the hearing did offer a potential preview of the trial itself. Defense counsel argued that Williams did not identify himself as a law enforcement officer, while prosecutors said this claim would be proven false by the testimony of witnesses at the scene of the shooting.
This came just days after the television network reported that the Lowndes County Courthouse was officially renamed in Williams’ honor. The name change can be viewed by all above the entryway into the courthouse.
The courthouse, which has reportedly been in continuous use for almost 165 years now, also newly displays a plaque depicting Williams’ name and likeness.
The plaque reads as follows:
Dedicated to the life and memory of one of the greatest men to ever live in Lowndes County
The Lowndes County Commission on December 9, 2019 voted unanimously to rename the Lowndes County Courthouse the John “Big John” Williams courthouse in memory of Sheriff John Arthur Willams Sr. who was killed in the line of duty on November 23, 2019.
Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
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