After decades in prison, exonerated Philadelphia man was fatally shot at a funeral - NBC News

A wrongly convicted Philadelphia antheral who spent astir 3 decades successful situation earlier his merchandise past twelvemonth was gunned down portion attending a funeral, authorities said Wednesday.

No arrests were instantly made aft Christopher Williams, 62, "suffered gunshot wounds to the head" astatine Mount Peace Cemetery at 2:20 p.m. EST Friday, Philadelphia constabulary said successful a connection to NBC News.

Christopher Williams spent astir 3 decades successful situation aft being wrongfully convicted of aggregate murders.Philadelphia District Attorney's Office

He was taken to Temple University Hospital wherever helium was pronounced astatine 2:27 p.m., constabulary said.

Williams had been convicted successful 2 abstracted cases, a triple execution successful 1989 and for the slaying of Michael Haynesworth, who was besides killed that year. 

Williams and co-defendant Troy Coulston were convicted successful 1992 for the Haynesworth murder. Then successful 1993, Williams and co-defendant Theophalis Wilson were convicted of the triple slaying.

Decades later, Philadelphia prosecutors moved to disregard the execution convictions against Williams successful some cases aft uncovering tainted grounds and exculpatory grounds that had been discovered by constabulary but ne'er shared with defence lawyers, officials said.

Since his merchandise from situation 22 months ago, Williams had been moving arsenic a carpenter with hopes of starting his ain operation concern that would employment freed convicts, Williams’ longtime attorney, Stuart Lev, said.

"It's incredibly tragic. This feline went done decades successful prison, 25 years connected decease enactment for crimes that helium did not commit, due to the fact that the strategy failed," Lev told NBC News connected Wednesday.

"He kept warring and helium wouldn't springiness up. He conscionable kept insisting that helium support trying antithetic ways of warring (for freedom). Whether that was to support his hopes up oregon that was conscionable his ain determination and perseverance, that's what helium did. He worked precise hard with his lawyers to marque definite his lawyers kept doing that, too."

A rep for Philadelphia DA Larry Krasner called Williams' slaying "tragic" and bemoaned that the exonerated antheral didn't get much enjoyment from his astir 2 years of freedom.

"What Chris endured arsenic a twice-wrongfully convicted exoneree is unfathomable," according to a connection by Jane Roh, Krasner's communications director.

"And that his short-lived state was marked by struggle, arsenic Pennsylvania is 1 of 12 states successful the U.S. that does not compensate the wrongfully convicted, is unconscionable."