Clifford Williams was sentenced to death by the State of Ohio for the murder of Wayman Hamilton
According to court documents Clifford Williams would rob taxi cab driver Wayman Hamilton who would be fatally shot during the robbery. Just days later Williams robbed and shot another man who thankfully survived
Clifford Williams would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to death
Clifford Williams Photos
Clifford Williams Now
Number
A237994
DOB
06/06/1972
Gender
Male
Race
Black
Admission Date
02/27/1991
Institution
Chillicothe Correctional Institution
Status
INCARCERATED
Clifford Williams Case
{¶ 2} In 1990, Williams robbed and murdered Wayman Hamilton, a cab driver who was transporting him to Hamilton, Ohio. Three days later, Williams shot Jeff Wallace in the back of the head after attempting to rob him. Wallace survived. A grand jury indicted Williams on multiple charges, including aggravated murder and three death-penalty specifications for causing Hamilton’s death. Williams’ charges were tried to a jury in 1991. The jury found Williams guilty of all charges in the indictment, including the death-penalty specifications.
{¶ 3} After the guilt phase, the trial proceeded to the mitigation phase. After hearing the evidence, the court instructed the jurors on their responsibility to recommend either a death sentence or a lesser penalty of life in prison with parole. The court informed the jurors that they must recommend a death sentence if they found, by proof beyond a reasonable doubt, that the aggravating circumstances presented at trial outweighed the mitigating factors. The jury found that the aggravating circumstances outweighed the mitigating factors beyond a reasonable doubt and therefore recommended that the court impose the death penalty. The trial court then independently weighed the aggravating circumstances and mitigating factors, accepted the jury’s recommendation, and imposed a sentence of death on the aggravated murder charge and specifications.
