Naeem Williams will not die for the violent killing of his daughter, a federal
jury announced on Friday.
The former Schofield soldier is instead sentenced to
life in prison.
During the trial, which ended in April when a jury found him guilty of the
murder, Williams admitted to beating 5-year-old Talia Williams every day for
months after gaining custody of the girl.
It was the 1st time in decades that a Hawaii courtroom had hosted a death
penalty trial.
The same jury that convicted Williams had deemed him eligible
for the death penalty, since the crime occurred on federal property.
However,
the jury of 7 men and 5 women were unable to reach a unanimous decision on the
sentence of death or the the sentence of life without the possibility of
parole, leaving the judge to impose the sentence.
"Naeem Williams will spend the rest of his life in prison without the
possibility of parole. Yes, justice has been served," said Florence Nakakuni,
United States Attorney for the District of Hawaii.
Source: Hawaii News Now, Staff, June 27, 2014