Jeremy T. Williams v. State of Alabama

── Jeremy T. Williams v. State of Alabama ── Case No.: CR-2024-0290 Court: Court of Criminal Appeals of Alabama Date: March 27, 2026 Author: Mary Windom Category: General Rel: March 27, 2026 Notice: This opinion is subject to formal revision before publication in the advance sheets of Southern Reporter. Readers are requested to notify the Reporter of Decisions, Alabama Appellate Courts, 300 Dexter Avenue, Montgomery, Alabama 36104-3741 ((334) 229-0650), of any typographical or other errors, in order that corrections may be made before the opinion is published in Southern Reporter. Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals OCTOBER TERM, 2025-2026 _________________________ CR-2024-0290 _________________________ Jeremy T. Williams v. State of Alabama Appeal from Russell Circuit Court (CC-22-210, CC-22-211, CC-22-212, CC-22-213, and CC-22-791) WINDOM, Presiding Judge. Jeremy T. Williams appeals his guilty-plea convictions for murder made capital because he intentionally caused the death K.H., who was less than 14 years of age, see § 13A-5-40(a)(15), Ala. Code 1975; for murder made capital because he intentionally caused the death of K.H. CR-2024-0290 during the course of a first-degree kidnapping, see § 13A-5-40(a)(1); for murder made capital because he intentionally caused the death of K.H. during a first-degree rape, see § 13A-5-40(a)(3); and for murder made capital because he intentionally caused the death of K.H. during a first- degree sodomy, see § 13A-5-40(a)(3), and his resulting sentence of death.1 On March 13, 2024, Williams filed a notice of his intent to plead guilty to the capital-murder charges as well as to various other offenses. At a hearing held on that date, the Russell Circuit Court, in accordance with Boykin v. Alabama, 395 U.S. 238 (1969), and Rule 14.4, Ala. R. Crim. P., informed Williams of the rights he would be waiving by pleading guilty and questioned him to ensure that his decision was knowing and voluntary. (R. 16-46.) After determining that Williams's 1 Williams included on his notice of appeal case numbers related to his guilty plea convictions for first-degree sodomy, see § 13A-6-63(a)(3), Ala. Code 1975; for sexual abuse of a child less than 12 years old, see § 13A-6-69.1, Ala. Code 1975; production of obscene material, see § 13A- 12-197, Ala. Code 1975; for abuse of a corpse, see § 13A-11-13, Ala. Code 1975; for first-degree human trafficking, see § 13A-6-152, Ala. Code 1975, and for conspiracy to commit first-degree human trafficking, see §§ 13A- 4-3 and 13A-6-152, Ala. Code 1975. However, because Williams neither preserved nor reserved an issue for appeal before pleading guilty nor filed a written motion to withdraw his guilty pleas, he failed to invoke his limited right to appeal those convictions. See Ingram v. State, 882 So. 2d 374, 376-77 (Ala. Crim. App. 2003). Therefore, we dismiss this appeal insofar as it relates to those convictions. 2 CR-2024-0290 decision was knowing and voluntary and not the result of any coercion, threats, or promises, the circuit court accepted Williams's guilty pleas. A jury trial was conducted on the capital-murder charges, see § 13A-5-42, Ala. Code 1975, after which the jury found Williams guilty of the charges of capital murder beyond a reasonable doubt. (R. 860-61.) Following the jury's verdict, the penalty phase of Williams's trial began. Williams waived the jury's participation in his capital sentencing and waived his right to present evidence in mitigation. (R. 60-71.) See § 13A-5-44(c), Ala. Code 1975. At the sentencing phase, the circuit court sentenced Williams to death for his capital-murder convictions. Facts On December 13, 2021, K.H., a five-year-old girl, was reported missing in Col