238:. New evidence showed Hansford's hands were not bagged by the police at the crime scene, which meant that if there was gunpowder residue present on the victim's hands it could have been rubbed off during the subsequent movement of the body. During deliberations, a juror supposedly called a paramedic to ask some medical questions, though it could not be proven. After two deliberations, the jury still had not reached a verdict, with one woman adamantly insisting she saw
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at the second trial, beginning in
September 1983, and decided to have Williams openly bring up his sexuality. Little else differed from the first trial: on October 8, Williams was again found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment. In June 1985, the Georgia Supreme Court overturned the conviction
153:, Savannah. According to police statements made by Williams, Hansford had resided in the home for two years and was playing a video game when the argument ensued. During the argument, Hansford, of whom Williams had been a sexual partner for about two years, pushed over an 18th-century English
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On
January 14, 1990, after eight months of being a free man, a 59-year-old Williams collapsed and died at home. He is believed to have died in his study, the scene of the shooting, although Sonny Seiler stated that he found Williams on the threshold between the study and the hallway.
211:. He appealed, posting the $ 25,000 bond. Cook later anonymously received a copy of the police report showing that the arresting officer had contradicted himself about a bullet hole in a floor in Mercer House. The verdict was overturned in January 1983 by the
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and a new trial was ordered. As
Berendt wrote in his book: "The ruling appeared to be little more than a temporary reprieve. The hole in the floor had been unimportant in the trial; the main points of evidence in
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again, stating that the sheriff should not have been allowed to testify as an expert, and that the prosecutor waited until his closing argument to demonstrate some evidence.
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actually fired at him. Williams called the police at 3:00 A.M. to report the shooting, just over half an hour after the incident occurred.
83:(March 1, 1960 – May 2, 1981) was an American shooting victim who was killed by his employer, historic preservationist and antiques dealer
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defended
Williams during the first trial in 1982, presided over by Judge George Oliver. Williams was convicted and sentenced to
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and would not alter her verdict. On June 9, 1987, with 11-1 jurors in favor of a "guilty" verdict, it was declared a
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coroner Dr. James C. Metts attended the scene. Williams was taken into custody and charged with murder.
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in May 1989, eight years after his conviction, after the jury's hour-long deliberation.
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from his desk and shot
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125:, to Emily Bannister. He was one of three sons, the others being John and William.
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563:"30 years after death of Jim Williams, his iconic Savannah home is being restored"
494:"Oct 26, 1994, page 41 - The Atlanta Constitution at Atlanta Journal Constitution"
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601:"'Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil': Conjuring Up Eccentrics"
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Williams was tried four times, a record for the state of
Georgia.
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366:"From the AJC archive: Jim Williams back amid Savannah elite"
303:"From the AJC archive: Jim Williams back amid Savannah elite"
440:
Midnight in
Savannah A&E Broadcast Premiere Nov 30 1997
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The third trial, held in the spring of 1987, resulted in a
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The Mercer House study, in which
Hansford was killed
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220:'s case against Williams still remained intact."
271:Hansford was renamed "Billy Hanson" in the 1997
141:In the early hours of May 2, 1981, Hansford and
249:The fourth and final trial, which was moved to
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95:, United States. His death was recounted in
553:, John Berendt, Random House (1994), p. 621
145:had an argument at Williams's residence at
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659:Deaths by firearm in Georgia (U.S. state)
664:Deaths by person in Georgia (U.S. state)
649:1981 controversies in the United States
551:Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
517:"Justice, forgiveness and Jim Williams"
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266:Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
187:Hansford, 21, was buried in Savannah's
102:Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
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180:Judge Eugene H. Gadsden set Williams'
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109:. After four trials, Williams was
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565:- Bluffon Today, January 17, 2020
16:American killing and murder trial
370:The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
279:, in which he was portrayed by
328:Emily Arlene McGehee Bannister
184:at $ 25,000, which he posted.
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669:History of Savannah, Georgia
654:1981 in Georgia (U.S. state)
449:– via www.youtube.com.
308:Atlanta Journal-Constitution
277:movie adaptation of the book
121:Danny Hansford was born in
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481:Greenwich Cemetery Records
99:'s 1994 non-fiction book
347:. 1982-01-27. p. 15
253:, resulted in Williams'
315:March 23, 2020, at the
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65:Savannah, Georgia, U.S.
178:Georgia Superior Court
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113:of Hansford's murder.
634:A mugshot of Hansford
581:Savannah Morning News
538:Savannah Morning News
468:Savannah Morning News
425:Savannah Morning News
405:Books, March 20, 1994
213:Georgia Supreme Court
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628:Danny Lewis Hansford
341:"Jim williams trial"
193:Bonaventure Cemetery
107:1997 film adaptation
81:Danny Lewis Hansford
605:archive.nytimes.com
523:, December 17, 2018
521:LaGrange Daily News
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33:Danny Lewis Hanford
575:Hotchkiss, Frank.
226:assumed Williams'
189:Greenwich Cemetery
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630:at FindAGrave.com
155:grandfather clock
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162:Luger pistol
147:Mercer House
143:Jim Williams
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97:John Berendt
85:Jim Williams
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60:(1981-05-02)
684:1981 deaths
679:1960 births
58:May 2, 1981
643:Categories
610:2024-05-14
586:2023-09-07
503:2024-03-28
446:2024-04-22
383:2024-04-01
351:2024-09-16
287:References
275:-directed
117:Early life
71:Occupation
39:1960-03-01
378:1539-7459
255:acquittal
244:hung jury
111:acquitted
74:Tradesman
313:Archived
281:Jude Law
236:mistrial
129:Shooting
105:and its
89:Savannah
251:Augusta
228:defense
93:Georgia
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199:Trials
49:, U.S.
149:, in
374:ISSN
182:bond
55:Died
29:Born
170:had
159:9mm
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