Darryl Williams of Philadelphia will serve 10 to 20 years, avoiding jury trial. William Rankins was previously convicted.
When Upper Darby police were attempting to crack the 2004 slaying of a teenage couple gunned down as they sat in a car on a township street, authorities plastered Darryl Williams’ face on the TV show “America’s Most Wanted.”
Assistant District Attorney Gregory Hurchalla said a short time after the “Most Wanted” program aired, Williams turned himself in to authorities in the shooting deaths of Jamie Durham and her boyfriend, Jawuan Ellis, both 18.
Williams, 23, of Philadelphia, pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges he conspired with convicted killer William Rankins, 24, also of Philadelphia, in the shooting deaths. Judge Joseph Cronin was about to begin jury selection in Williams’ trial this week when Hurchalla and defense attorney Michael J. Diamondstein worked out the plea.
Williams admitted he conspired to commit first-degree murder and robbery, as well as a weapons offense in the two slayings.
The plea agreement called for 10- to 20- year prison sentence for Williams, which was formally imposed by Cronin. The defendant, dressed in a gray suit, remained shackled and made no statement to the court except to answer the routine questions posed by the judge that the plea was voluntary.
At one point, Williams looked as if he wanted to make a statement, but then quickly said “no,” when asked by the judge if he had anything to say.
Diamondstein told the court Williams “regrets” his actions “and the company kept.”
Cronin, who presided over the non-jury trial, found Rankins, 24, of Philadelphia, guilty of the first-degree murder last October. Rankins is serving two life sentences for his part in the crime.
In court Tuesday were relatives of the victims, including Joan Robinson, Durham’s maternal grandmother. Durham died cradled in her grandmother’s arms after she was fatally shot April 15, 2004. The grandmother had rushed to Durham’s aid after family members heard the gunshots. The victims were seated together in the car outside Durham’s home in the 200 block of LeCarra Drive, Upper Darby.
In his statement to police, Rankins said Durham refused to be stuffed in the car’s trunk. She was then coolly shot to death at point-black range, as was Ellis. Rankins’ statement to police could not be introduced against Williams unless Rankins took the stand at the trial.
“I’m glad it’s over,” said Robinson. “You need closure. Nothing is going to stop the pain and memories.”
Both she and Barbarann Durham, the paternal grandmother, said they didn’t want to have to come to court again to look at the killers’ faces. They both expressed gratitude to Upper Darby police and Hurchalla for their “tireless” efforts in bringing the killers to justice.
“They honored Jamie and Jawuan as being people who were loved. I’m most glad it’s over,” said Durham. The relatives wore pendants containing the victims’ ashes. Durham displayed a gold leaf on a chain she wore close to her heart. “When I woke up this morning, I said ‘OK, Jamie. Here we go.”
Hurchalla said the families were in agreement with the plea, understanding from the outset that this would be a tough case. He said the major prosecution witnesses were jailhouse informants and Rankins.
“We knew we had severe legal challenges ahead of us,” said Hurchalla, explaining that the plea guarantees that Williams will be behind bars for a long time.
“The fact of the matter is, Darryl Williams needs to be taken off of the streets,” he said. “The victims’ families were in support of this plea.”
Diamondstein likewise termed the plea an appropriate ending to the case.
“Based on the facts and circumstances, including that prison snitches and the co-defendant, who received a double life sentence in the case, were going to testify, we felt the negotiated plea was fair,” said the defense attorney.
Williams has been jailed in Philadelphia to keep him away from the prisoners who were to take the stand against him.
Following Rankins’ conviction, Hurchalla termed the killings “an act of unspeakable cruelty, an execution of two teenagers, who were doing nothing else but enjoying each other’s company.”
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