Today is the 19th anniversary of Mike's disappearance and murder. It was also a year and two days ago that Denise was found guilty. Her current state prison page looks the same as back in February stating she is in the reception process and is not eligible for visitation applications. Seems like it takes Florida a long time to process incoming inmates.
GUILTY FL - Jerry 'Mike' Williams, 31, Tallahassee, 16 Dec 2000 *Wife Arrested in 2017*
- Thread starter Rle7
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SeesSeas
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My guess is that she is "disqualified from receiving visitation applications due to" "having the maximum number of allowed visitors".
Inmate Population Information Detail
Inmate is disqualified from receiving visitation applications due to: Either being in the reception process, having the maximum number of allowed visitors or the inmate is out of the department's custody by court order.
I don't think she is still being processed. She is in a multi-mission facility:
Florida Women's Reception Center -- Florida Department of Corrections
Florida Women's Reception Center
General Information
Capacity 1,345
Population Gender Female
Adult or Youthful Adult
The Florida Women's Reception Center is a unique facility in that it has multiple missions: reception, in-patient mental health and general population. Each of the missions and the inmates assigned are in different quadrants. The design of the Florida Women's Reception Center allows for separate, focused missions with minimal contact with the inmates from other quadrants. This separation facilitates the creation of different environments wherein the program characteristics of each mission can be fully fulfilled.
Academic Programs
- Adult Basic Education
- General Educational Development (GED)
- Special Education Screening (Child Find)
- Volunteer Literacy Program
- Faith & Character Based Programs
- Chapel Library
- Religious Education
- Worship Services
- 100 Hour Transition Class
- Abe Brown Family Bonding Program
- Alcoholic Anonymous
- Anger Management
- Crafts with Conviction
- Creative Writing / Journey Daybook
- Children of Inmates (Family BondingProgram)
- Florida Ready to Work
- Journey of Years (JOY) Program
- Law Library Programs
- Library Services
- Life Skills
- Mommy Reads Program
- Mommy Speaks Program
- Money Management
- Narcotic Anonymous
- Parenting
- Re-entry Fairs
- Wellness Education
- Yoga
Checking in- happy there’s no appeal. Also so happy to know that Denise can participate in “yoga” and “crafts with conviction”. Wait... is that the Warden’s play on words, or by “conviction” do they mean “determination” or “passion”? Either way, what a lovely break from prison life!
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Oral arguments in the case are set for Wednesday afternoon at the First District Court of Appeals. According to the online docket, each side will have 15 minutes to make its case. A ruling could take weeks or months.
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Wednesday, January 22nd:
*Appeal Hearing (@ pm ET) – FL – Jerry Michael “Mike” Williams (31) (Dec. 16, 2000, Tallahassee; found Dec. 9, 2017) – *Denise Merrell Williams Winchester (48/29 @ time of crime) arrested & charged (5/7/18) with 1st degree murder, conspiracy to commit 1st degree murder & accessory after the fact. Plead not guilty. No bond (denied 6/19/18).
Also charged (8/10/18) with 3 counts of insurance fraud. Plead not guilty. Bond set at $50K for each count.
Her ex-husband Brian Winchester (45) was indicted (8/9/16) for kidnapping, domestic assault & armed burglary of Denise. Plead no contest (10/16/17) to plea agreement where assault charges were dropped. Sentenced 20 years in prison. They were married in Dec. 2005 & separated in 2012, divorced in 2016. 6/1/18: Brian took a plea deal with immunity & confessed to killing “Mike”.
8/10/18 Update: Williams obtained three life insurance policies totaling $1.75 million from two insurance companies following the death of her husband, Mike Williams. Court documents state Mike Williams applied for life insurance coverage worth $250,000 in February 1995 due to his recent marriage to Denise. Brian Winchester is listed as the agent for the policy. In March 2000, Mike applied for additional life insurance from a different company, with a policy amount totaling $500,000. In April 2000, Mike completed another life insurance application worth $1 million, with Winchester listed as the agent.
12/14/18 Day 5: Jury instructions. Closing arguments. Jury started deliberations at 11:30am ET. Jury ended deliberations at 7:30pm – and verdict: Guilty on all 3 charges. Case Management hearing on 12/18 to set sentencing date. Defense requests a pre-sentencing investigative report be started.
12/18/18 Update: Order granted in part defendant’s motion to exclude extra judicial statements by Winchester; order granted denying defendant's first motion in Limine; order granted defendants motion to preclude the imposition of the death penalty; order granted in part the State's motion in Limine; defendant's motion renewed re motion for judgment of acquittal & defendant's motion for new trial. Sentencing date scheduled for 2/6/19.
12/20/18 Defense files Motions for Judgment of Acquittal on each 3 charges & Motions for new trial. 1/2/19: Motions hearing for Juror interview scheduled for 1/23. Motion denied.
1/23/19 Update: Defense files motion for new trial. Motion hearing on 1/25. 1/25/19: A Leon County judge dismissed the accessory after the fact but has denied a motion for acquittal and a new trial. Sentencing is scheduled for 2/6. Faces life in prison.
2/6/19 Update: Leon Circuit Judge James Hankinson sentenced her to life in prison without the possibility of parole. He sentenced her to an additional 30 years for helping to plot the murder.
1/22/20 Update: Appeal hearing.
*Appeal Hearing (@ pm ET) – FL – Jerry Michael “Mike” Williams (31) (Dec. 16, 2000, Tallahassee; found Dec. 9, 2017) – *Denise Merrell Williams Winchester (48/29 @ time of crime) arrested & charged (5/7/18) with 1st degree murder, conspiracy to commit 1st degree murder & accessory after the fact. Plead not guilty. No bond (denied 6/19/18).
Also charged (8/10/18) with 3 counts of insurance fraud. Plead not guilty. Bond set at $50K for each count.
Her ex-husband Brian Winchester (45) was indicted (8/9/16) for kidnapping, domestic assault & armed burglary of Denise. Plead no contest (10/16/17) to plea agreement where assault charges were dropped. Sentenced 20 years in prison. They were married in Dec. 2005 & separated in 2012, divorced in 2016. 6/1/18: Brian took a plea deal with immunity & confessed to killing “Mike”.
8/10/18 Update: Williams obtained three life insurance policies totaling $1.75 million from two insurance companies following the death of her husband, Mike Williams. Court documents state Mike Williams applied for life insurance coverage worth $250,000 in February 1995 due to his recent marriage to Denise. Brian Winchester is listed as the agent for the policy. In March 2000, Mike applied for additional life insurance from a different company, with a policy amount totaling $500,000. In April 2000, Mike completed another life insurance application worth $1 million, with Winchester listed as the agent.
12/14/18 Day 5: Jury instructions. Closing arguments. Jury started deliberations at 11:30am ET. Jury ended deliberations at 7:30pm – and verdict: Guilty on all 3 charges. Case Management hearing on 12/18 to set sentencing date. Defense requests a pre-sentencing investigative report be started.
12/18/18 Update: Order granted in part defendant’s motion to exclude extra judicial statements by Winchester; order granted denying defendant's first motion in Limine; order granted defendants motion to preclude the imposition of the death penalty; order granted in part the State's motion in Limine; defendant's motion renewed re motion for judgment of acquittal & defendant's motion for new trial. Sentencing date scheduled for 2/6/19.
12/20/18 Defense files Motions for Judgment of Acquittal on each 3 charges & Motions for new trial. 1/2/19: Motions hearing for Juror interview scheduled for 1/23. Motion denied.
1/23/19 Update: Defense files motion for new trial. Motion hearing on 1/25. 1/25/19: A Leon County judge dismissed the accessory after the fact but has denied a motion for acquittal and a new trial. Sentencing is scheduled for 2/6. Faces life in prison.
2/6/19 Update: Leon Circuit Judge James Hankinson sentenced her to life in prison without the possibility of parole. He sentenced her to an additional 30 years for helping to plot the murder.
1/22/20 Update: Appeal hearing.
She's unemployed in prison. How is she going to appeal attorney fees??
State drops fraud charges against Denise Williams
"
By: Julie Montanaro | WCTV Eyewitness News
July 16, 2019
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) -- On Tuesday, the state announced it is dropping insurance fraud charges against Denise Williams.
In documents filed with the court Tuesday morning, prosecutor Jon Fuchs said their main goal of ensuring Denise Williams did not profit from her husband’s death has been fulfilled.
"We wanted to make sure that the Slayer Statutes for the State of Florida were being complied with," prosecutor Jon Fuchs said, "in that none of the monies that were given to Ms. Denise Williams were being used for her defense or she could benefit from them in any way."
Williams was sentenced to life in prison in December 2018 for the 2000 duck hunting disappearance and death of her husband Mike Williams.
Court documents show that Denise Williams’ assets have been transferred to the couple’s now grown daughter, Anslee. Court records show she signed an agreement saying she would not use the money to pay for her mother’s legal bills or appeals.
Defense attorney Ethan Way's comment on the decision to drop the fraud charges was just one word, "Pleased"
State drops fraud charges against Denise Williams
"
By: Julie Montanaro | WCTV Eyewitness News
July 16, 2019
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) -- On Tuesday, the state announced it is dropping insurance fraud charges against Denise Williams.
In documents filed with the court Tuesday morning, prosecutor Jon Fuchs said their main goal of ensuring Denise Williams did not profit from her husband’s death has been fulfilled.
"We wanted to make sure that the Slayer Statutes for the State of Florida were being complied with," prosecutor Jon Fuchs said, "in that none of the monies that were given to Ms. Denise Williams were being used for her defense or she could benefit from them in any way."
Williams was sentenced to life in prison in December 2018 for the 2000 duck hunting disappearance and death of her husband Mike Williams.
Court documents show that Denise Williams’ assets have been transferred to the couple’s now grown daughter, Anslee. Court records show she signed an agreement saying she would not use the money to pay for her mother’s legal bills or appeals.
Defense attorney Ethan Way's comment on the decision to drop the fraud charges was just one word, "Pleased"
I cant edit, it was supposed to state how is she going to pay attorney fees to appeal? Pro bono?
Jewels53
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I looked on the Court of Appeals site that includes Leon County. I didn't see where there has been a decision made yet. Her appeal was done on January 22, 2020. It looks like the court goes on recess after June. I would guess decisions to come before then. jmoBumping up - if anyone has access to Leon County court site? TIA!
Just wondering what is going on....
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DBM
Jewels53
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I haven't found anything as of now.Hey @Jewels53 - you helped me last time on this - any updates? It is past June now! TIA!
Here is the website I am teaching. I don't know if you can get on there or not.
Opinions Archive - First District Court of Appeal
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Didn't know you teached!
What last name do you search under - I have access to this link.Williams or Winchester? Thanks!
Jewels53
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I think they list them by first name first. I presume she is still going by Williams.Didn't know you teached!
Williams or Winchester? Thanks!
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