Jan 10, 2007 11:42 pm US/Mountain
Jailed Man May Have Direct Link To Williams Case
by Arturo Santiago
DENVER (CBS4) ―
The man police considered a "person of interest" in the murder of
Darrent Williams may have a direct link to the case.
Sources told CBS4 that police suspect
Willie Clark was actually inside the vehicle from which the shots were fired, killing the Denver Broncos cornerback.
Clark wasn't released Wednesday like his lawyer had hoped. The parole department will continue to hold Clark with charges that he wasn't living at the designated place in his parole agreement.
"The only thing that I can tell you is that he's frustrated but we'll wait this out and we'll straighten this out," said Michael Andre, Clark's attorney.
The case also got a little more complicated on Wednesday.
Clark's cousin, Stephen Howard, was arrested when he showed up at Clark's court appearance.
Howard had failed to appear for a case of his own.
"My son has no involvement with Darrent Williams or anything else that surrounds that incident," said Howard's mother who said she was too scared to show her face on camera.
The reward money being offered in the case went up to $102,000 thanks to the
Denver Broncos.
In a statement the Broncos released, they "hope that this additional reward money will result in the apprehension and conviction of the individuals involved in the death of Darrent Williams."
Police haven't yet named any suspects in the case and it was still unknown if Clark was cooperating with police.
"They don't understand why he's being held, they don't know what's going on and they're just fearful because his name is being associated with something that has created such public outrage," Andre said.
Williams was shot early New Year's Day as he was riding away from a New Year's Eve party at a nightclub in a stretch Hummer. Police haven't said whether they know the motive for the slaying but have said there was an altercation at the club.
Andre has said Clark grew up in the same neighborhood as 28-year-old Brian Hicks, the registered owner of a 1998 Chevrolet Tahoe that matches witnesses' description of a vehicle used in the shooting.
Hicks was in jail on drug charges when Williams was shot. Hicks is also accused of shooting at a woman who was later killed a week before she was to testify against him.
Clark, on parole for an auto-theft conviction, is accused of living in a different house than the one listed in his parole agreement. Andre denied the allegation but said it could take months to clear up.
After Clark was arrested Friday, police discovered an arrest warrant accusing him of driving with revoked license, Andre said. But Clark's attorney said the suspect in that case was actually Stephen Howard, a cousin who once used Clark's name.
Howard, 24, appeared in Denver County Court on Wednesday and was ordered held until a judge could schedule a hearing to positively identify both men.
(© 2007 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Comments