Sean Williams will have to wait to see who, or even if, he is appointed his fourth attorney in less than a year after a decision Monday by Judge J. Ronnie Greer.
After a hearing Monday in US District Court, Judge Greer granted the motion of appointed defense attorney Joseph McAfee to withdraw from the case of accused child pornography producer Sean Williams. The result will delay Williams initial trial which was set to begin in about two weeks. Williams is accused of drugging and raping several women in Johnson City, and faces further charges of escape and child pornography. Williams’ trial on three counts of child pornography production remains scheduled for August 27.
In granting the motion, Judge Greer told Williams that he will decide in the coming days if he will even appoint another attorney to represent him. Greer referenced a prior warning from Judge Cynthia Wyrick, who said that if Williams couldn’t cooperate with McAfee, no replacement appointment would be made.
McAfee was appointed in December, after Williams first attorney David Leonard was dismissed and his second attorney Bryce McKenzie asked to be removed as council.
The hearing was conducted in private, with attorneys for the United States and those in the audience asked to leave so that both Williams and McAfee could speak candidly about the case. When that portion of the hearing ended, Greer said that Williams’ actions and statements he had made during the hearing necessitated allowing McAfee to withdraw.
