‘Tell him he is a murderer:’ Closing arguments presented, jury deliberating in Greyhound bus shooting trial
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — The passengers, those who were awake, heard expletives yelled as a Greyhound bus traveled over the Grapevine early Feb. 3, 2020.
Then bullets started flying.
When the shooting ended, a woman lay dead, five other passengers were wounded and the rest were confused and terrified. Seventeen shots were fired in all.
Prosecutor Stephanie Taconi compared the shooting carried out by Anthony Devonte Williams four years ago as akin to shooting fish in a barrel. The other passengers had nowhere to run when Williams stood, swore and started firing.
During her closing argument at Williams’ trial Wednesday, Taconi told the jury she’ll ask them to find him guilty of murder, six counts of attempted murder and multiple other charges.
“You are here to look the defendant in his face and tell him he is wrong,” Taconi said. “Tell him he is a murderer.”
Williams, 37, faces life in prison if convicted. He has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.
Deputy Public Defender Nick Roth, one of two attorneys representing Williams, told the jury during his closing argument he doesn’t contest his client is guilty of second-degree murder. Williams fired a gun on a crowded bus, an action that is inherently dangerous.
But, Roth said, he doesn’t believe the evidence shows premeditation and intent on Williams’ part, and he should not be found guilty of the more serious charge of first-degree murder. Nor should he be found guilty of any except one of the attempted murder counts, Roth said, arguing Williams only targeted one person, and fired most shots indiscriminately.
Those hit were victims of “tragic randomness,” the attorney said.
Williams, Roth said, showed signs of experiencing mental health issues, something he said the jury should take into account during their deliberations. There’s no motive to explain what he did, Roth said.
Witnesses reported Williams mumbled to himself while boarding the bus and later made strange comments. He called himself “God of the Amazon,” said he wouldn’t see his family again and exhibited paranoid behavior, Roth said.
Closing arguments finished at about 2:15 p.m. and the jury has begun deliberating.
Williams admitted bringing a gun onto the bus headed from Los Angeles to Oakland. He told investigators he began shooting after arguing with a man as they traveled north on Interstate 5, south of Fort Tejon Road.
Lurbis Elena Vance, 51, was hit multiple times and died at the scene. Five others were wounded, one paralyzed from the chest down.
The bus stopped and Williams ran off after another passenger wrestled the gun away from him. The bus then traveled to the next exit where medical personnel and law enforcement arrived.
Williams was arrested soon after when officers found him walking along the highway.
In a phone call to his grandmother, Williams told her not to bother hiring an attorney. He admitted to intentionally aiming at someone when he fired, but hitting other people instead.
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