By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon
BBC - Guardian UK - Honduras - ESPN
SDNY COURTHOUSE, Jan 14 – Omari Williams was arrested and presented on October 23 and has been detained since. But he has yet to be arraigned.
On January 13, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Judge John G. Koeltl held a proceeding. Inner City Press covered it.
Judge Koeltl said, with initial co-defendant Tyreek James on the line, "Is Mr. Williams here?"
No, was the answer. Mr Williams, it was said, was refusing to be produced or attend these proceedings. On PACER, still under the Magistrates Court docket, there are two Orders to Continue in the Interest of Justice, dated November 23 and December 23.
Where is Mr. Williams?
Apparently, he is in the Essex County jail and wants out. His CJA lawyer Kenneth Montgomery offered some consent on Williams' behalf.
The complaint, back from May, was about a Porsche stolen from the 13th Street garage and driven across the George Washington Bridge into New Jersey.
Where Williams now is, or is said to be, in the Essex County jail. Judge Koeltl scheduled another proceeding for January 27.
On January 14, in advance of that, the US Attorney's Office proposed to Judge Koeltl an order authorizing the US Marshals and Essex Corrections "to use reasonable force necessary to remove the defendant, Omari Williams, from his cell in the Essex County Correctional Facility to be arraigned."
And now on January 22, force has been authorized: "ORDER as to Omari Williams. For Good cause shown, if the defendant refuses to be present for jury proceedings in this case, including remote proceedings, The Court hereby authorizes the US Marshals Service and the Essex County Department of Corrections to use reasonable force necessary to remove the defendant, Omari Williams, from his cell in the Essex County Correctional Facility to be arraigned, including arraigned remotely, in this District, and thereafter for proceedings, including remote proceedings, in United States v. Omari Williams, 20 Cr. 701 (JGK). (Signed by Judge John G. Koeltl on 1/22/21)."
The case is US v. Williams, 20-mj-4932 (Koeltl)
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