Williams trial still on track for January
<p dir="ltr"><span>The trial for murder suspect London S. Williams is still on track for a January 9 start after counsel from the prosecution and defense met Monday for a case status hearing at the Randolph County Courthouse.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Williams's attorney, Justin Kuehn, told Associate Circuit Court Judge Gene Gross that he was almost through reviewing the video evidence in the case, which consists primarily of recorded witness interviews.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Kuehn stated that he was proceeding as if the trial would be on that date, but noted he had consulted with a private investigator about the case.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>He asked Gross for approval to provide a copy of the evidence to that investigator.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>"My hope is that we'll have our trial on that date," Kuehn said.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Randolph County State's Attorney Jeremy Walker said he had no objection to the defense's request and noted he desired to have an "open playbook" on such matters.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Williams, 26, has been charged with first-degree murder in the June 22 stabbing death of 26-year-old T.J. Michael, of Chester. He has remained incarcerated at the Randolph County Jail on a $1 million bond since his June arrest.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>In August, Gross denied a motion by Kuehn to reduce Williams's bond to $100,000. Williams's case is Chester's first homicide - outside of Menard Correctional Center - since 2004.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>After the five-minute hearing, Walker was asked by local media if the private investigator request was common.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>"In a case of this magnitude, it's certainly not uncommon," he said.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Walker was also asked how confident he was that the trial date wouldn't change.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>"In this business, as confident as you can be," he said, while noting that during the "polishing stage" of the pretrial proceedings, things can always arise that can delay the case.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>The parties are due back in Randolph County court for another status hearing on December 12 at 1 p.m.</span>