Redondo Beach's pizza robber still trying to stay out of jail
Way back in 1994, I was sitting at my desk with not much to do, so I tried to find a story by calling some detectives at South Bay police stations to see what they were working on.
One said he didn't have much, but had this case of a man named Jerry Dewayne Williams who was arrested for stealing a kid's pizza slice at the Redondo Beach pier.
I thought that was news and took some information from him. I looked up Williams' record and figured out he had a couple of previous felonies. This was shortly after the three strikes law went into effect. I called the detective back and asked if he was eligible for it. The detective said he was looking into that.
The next day, Williams was charged with the three strikes law and eventually received a sentence of 25 years to life in prison.
Williams immediately became the poster child for the law. People in support of it believed he was the perfect example of a career criminal being sent away. Others deemed it too harsh a penalty for taking a kid's pizza slice.
I always believed those people got it wrong. Williams didn't just take a pizza slice, he was a robber who used intimidation to get it. He scared the hell out of those kids. He was 6 feet 4, 220. This was no petty crime.
I remember standing in my kitchen while watching 60 Minutes when Steve Kroft portrayed the crime as if it was shoplifting. I remember saying, "It was a robbery!"
Ultimately, however, Williams' sentence was overturned and he spent only about five years in jail.
All these years later, the Los Angeles Times has an article today on what Williams is doing now. He's working on a life sentence of trying to stay out of jail. "I walk on eggshells," he said. "Any little thing that I do, I could be back for the rest of my life."Read their story.
One said he didn't have much, but had this case of a man named Jerry Dewayne Williams who was arrested for stealing a kid's pizza slice at the Redondo Beach pier.
I thought that was news and took some information from him. I looked up Williams' record and figured out he had a couple of previous felonies. This was shortly after the three strikes law went into effect. I called the detective back and asked if he was eligible for it. The detective said he was looking into that.
The next day, Williams was charged with the three strikes law and eventually received a sentence of 25 years to life in prison.
Williams immediately became the poster child for the law. People in support of it believed he was the perfect example of a career criminal being sent away. Others deemed it too harsh a penalty for taking a kid's pizza slice.
I always believed those people got it wrong. Williams didn't just take a pizza slice, he was a robber who used intimidation to get it. He scared the hell out of those kids. He was 6 feet 4, 220. This was no petty crime.
I remember standing in my kitchen while watching 60 Minutes when Steve Kroft portrayed the crime as if it was shoplifting. I remember saying, "It was a robbery!"
Ultimately, however, Williams' sentence was overturned and he spent only about five years in jail.
All these years later, the Los Angeles Times has an article today on what Williams is doing now. He's working on a life sentence of trying to stay out of jail. "I walk on eggshells," he said. "Any little thing that I do, I could be back for the rest of my life."Read their story.
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About the Blogger
Larry Altman has covered crime in the South Bay since 1990. He's seen it all - the missing model who turned up dead in the desert, the wives found dead in trunks, the high-school coaches who get a little too close to their players. He drives his young colleagues nuts with his "I remember when" stories. He welcomes your tips and observations about the present, and you can mix in a little Lakers basketball talk if you like.
E-mail Larry at larry.altman@dailybreeze.com.
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Interesting, I remember that case, but did not know his sentence was overturned.
Here is an idea he might consider. get the hell out of California. Move to a state that does not have a 3 strikes law.
Larry, I always felt the same. The issue was NOT the pizza, the issue was the CRIME. And I agree, let him leave California. There's enough trash without this piece of crud.
From the LA Times article:
"But in September 2003, his girlfriend called 911 and reported that Williams was verbally abusing her. A police officer arrived to find Williams moving out after a fight and demanding $150 he had paid toward the bills.
As the officer looked on, Williams told his girlfriend: "I'm going to put a bullet in your ass if I don't get my money."
Williams, who was unarmed, was arrested and charged with making a criminal threat, a felony that could have landed him back in prison for life. But Kings County prosecutors did not treat the crime as a third strike. Williams pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor and was released from jail after 17 days.
As part of his sentence, he was barred from leaving Kings County without permission. Nevertheless, Williams moved to Moreno Valley to live with another sister. An arrest warrant was issued and remains active.
Williams says he is different from the young man who built a lengthy criminal resume in his teens and 20s. Using long sleeves he hides old gang tattoos, including "crip or cry, high til I die" on his left arm. Since landing in Moreno Valley, he has been arrested once -- for being drunk in public -- but was released without charges being filed."
It looks like this thug hasn't really learned his lesson. I am not a fan of three strikes, but this guy is a waste of a human being.
I'm going to save myself the trouble and not even read the LA Times story.
Everyone criminal has an excuse for his actions, whther it's using a gun against someone or stealing a piece of pizza from a kid. And we all know that the majority of them will never change.
I would gladly support any tax increase to help build more prisons and lock these people up once and for all.
C'mon a pizza slice? That man stole a pizza from a kid and now people say he deserves 25 to life in prison? Life for a pizza? Ok, what about those multi millionairs that stole millions and millions from us, robbed people out of their houses, destroyed millions of lives, and got away with a slap on the wrist? No way, thats major B.S! No human deserves life in prison for stealing food...FOOD!
"He was 6 feet 4, 220. This was no petty crime".
I bet you wanted to mention he is " Black" too but don't want to sound racist huh? anyhow this is the most ridicules reason to give someone a life sentence, I agree with Jr you got those rich ass corporate companies who done more damage then we can imagine but they get away with less because they have money! and power! come now....(smh)
The oldest of the kids was 14. This man comes up and the kids obviously fear grave bodily harm at the hands of this guy. Would that be okay with Done Junta and Jr.'s children. The man threatened children. He is a sociopath. Lock him up. He will strike again and again and again.