Man who pleaded guilty to murder sues state, claiming guilty plea was coerced
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A Columbia man who was sentenced to 30 years in prison in December after pleading guilty to murdering April Joann Brooks has sued the state.
Montez Williams, 33, pleaded guilty in November to second-degree murder, unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful gun possession and resisting arrest. He is being held at the South Central Correctional Center in Licking, Missouri, according to Department of Corrections records.
Williams was previously charged with first-degree murder, armed criminal action, shooting at or from a motor vehicle, first-degree endangering the welfare of a child, unlawful gun possession and resisting arrest.
According to a motion to vacate that was filed on Thursday, Williams claims he was coerced into taking the guilty plea.
Williams claims in the motion that he and his family were threatened and that he “could only get a bench trial. I could not get a jury trial.” Williams claims he did not want to take the plea deal.
According to previous reporting, Williams is accused of shooting Brooks in 2022 from the back seat of a car after an argument on Blue Ridge Road in North Columbia. Williams allegedly admitted to shooting from the backseat of the vehicle.
