SDNY COURTHOUSE, April 29 – Eric Lyle
Williams is on death row in Texas, following conviction
twelve years ago for killing Kaufman County District
Attorney Mike McLelland and his wife. His subpoena to NBC
Universal for information for his ongoing appeal had
landed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern
District of New York and soon the Second Circuit Court of
Appeals, both of which Inner City Press closely
covers.
Back on February 27, 2015 NBC brought case
an episode of Dateline about the case, entitled
"Vendetta." McClelland had prosecuted Williams, a lawyer
elected Justice of the Peace, for theft and burglary,
resulting on his loss of office, law licence, and
"discharge from his position with the Texas State Guard."
The murders followed. So did a second
Dateline episode, entitled "Bad Intentions."
Williams lawyers, still appealing,
want the full footage of interviews. NBC opposed the
subpoena, citing the journalist's privilege. Williams'
lawyers replied, limiting their request to outtakes of
nine interviewees. Judge Liman granted the
subpoena, the motion to compel, in part - as to Kim
Williams, who was "offered lesser punishment in exchange
for her testimony." NBC moved to certify
for interlocutory appeal - and got denied, on April
13.
Now its next round of papers are due,
it was on April 20 agreed very civilly, in both senses of
the word.
On April 22 Williams' lawyer filed a motion
to hold NBC in contempt for not complying with the
subpoena or the order.
On April 29 Judge Liman ordered sanctions -
of one dollar a day, pending appeal: "Williams's motion
for a finding of contempt is GRANTED. The Court imposes
nominal sanctions on NBCU in the form of $1.00 per day of
continued noncompliance, but stays the imposition of
sanctions pending the Second Circuit's review of the
August 2025 Order."
Inner City Press will continue to follow and report on the
case.
More on X for Subscribers here
and Substack here
It is Williams v. NBC Universal Media
LLC, 1:25-mc-122 (Liman)
