James Arthur Williams
| James Arthur Williams | |
|---|---|
| Born |
James Arthur Williams December 11, 1930 Gordon, Georgia |
| Died | January 14, 1990 (aged 59) Savannah, Georgia |
| Occupation | Historic preservationist and antiques dealer |
| Known for | An early leader in the Savannah, GA historic preservation movement, as well as the main character in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil |
James Arthur "Jim" Williams (December 11, 1930 – January 14, 1990) was the only person in the state of Georgia ever to be tried four times for the same crime. Following the May 2, 1981 shooting death of assistant Danny Lewis Hansford in his Savannah home, Mercer House, Williams was charged with murder and tried four times. He was found not guilty at the final trial.
Born in Gordon, Georgia, Williams was a noted Savannah, Georgia antiques dealer and historic preservationist who played an active role in the preservation of Savannah's historic district. In 1955, at the age of 24, he bought and restored his first three houses located at 541, 543 and 545 East Congress Street. Over the next 35 years, he would restore more than 50 homes in Savannah as well as the lowcountry of Georgia and South Carolina. Notable Savannah houses he restored include: Odingsell House, Merault House, Hampton Lillibridge House, Habersham's Pink House, Armstrong House and Mercer House.
In 1969, Williams purchased a home originally built for General Hugh Weedon Mercer, great-grandfather of famed American songwriter Johnny Mercer. At the time of the purchase, the house had been vacant for almost a decade since its former occupants, the Shriners organization, had used the building for their Alee Temple. Over the course of two years, Williams painstakingly restored the house. After the restoration, it became his personal residence and he ran his antiques restoration business out of the carriage house located behind the mansion.
Williams was arrested in 1981 for the shooting death of Danny Hansford, with whom he had a sexual relationship. After the subsequent four trials, Williams was finally acquitted by a jury in Augusta, Georgia in 1989.
Bobby Lee Cook defended Williams during the first trial. Williams was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. He appealed, posting a $200,000 bond. Cook subsequently received, anonymously, a copy of the police report showing that the arresting officer had contradicted himself. The judgment was overturned and a new trial was ordered.
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Wikipedia