The village of Meredosia Police Chief that was arrested for domestic battery, as well as aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, has hired a private attorney, in lieu of the previously assigned public defender.
According to previous reports, 48 year old Curtis W. Williams, of Chambersburg, was arrested in December of last year on charges of domestic battery and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after a 911 call brought the Illinois State Police and Pike County Sheriff’s Deputies to his door. Law enforcement responded to a residence in rural Chambersburg, an unincorporated community in the northeastern corner of Pike County just west of Meredosia on Illinois Route 104, in the early morning hours of December 8th and arrested Williams.
Williams appeared yesterday in Pike County court for a scheduled arraignment hearing.
The domestic battery charge contends Williams made physical contact in a manner to insult or provoke the female victim, who was known to Williams, by shoving her onto a bed.
The aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charge stems from the allegations that Williams consciously held a firearm to the back of the victim’s head, threatening to shoot her.
Pike County State’s Attorney Zachary Boren details yesterday’s arraignment hearing.
“He appeared with a private attorney named Anthony Cameron, from Quincy, and he has hired him. The public defender who had been assigned to Mr. Williams’ case, Keisha Morris, was allowed to withdraw, and Mr. Cameron has entered his appearance in the case. As we often do here, the arraignment was simply a continuance. So he has not entered a formal plea. His new attorney will now have the opportunity to review the discovery and all the other information that we had given to the public defender. We continued the arraignment for March 5th at 9:15, and at that time he could enter a plea of guilty or not guilty. It’s always possible that we are still in negotiations, and we may continue it further if we’re still talking.”
It was last reported by area newspapers that Williams is on paid administrative leave.