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Inmate says defendant admitted shooting

Thursday, November 19, 2009
(Updated 7:56 am)

GREENSBORO — A Guilford County jail inmate testified Wednesday that Raytheon Williams told him that he shot a Greensboro store clerk in November 2006 to gain gang credibility.

Jerry Woolard, who is jailed on charges of forgery and obtaining property by false pretense, testified that he has training as a paralegal and that Williams was one of many inmates he has talked with to help them with their cases.

“(He said) I shot him for OG (gang) status,” Woolard said about an August 2008 meeting he had with Williams at the High Point jail , regarding the Nov. 25, 2006 , killing of 50-year-old Satwinder Singh.

“I believe he said he shot him in the chest. He said he almost shot the young boy there, too,” Woolard said.

Williams is on trial this week on charges of first-degree murder, robbery with a dangerous weapon and conspiracy in connection with the fatal shooting of Singh, who worked at the Aman Mini Mart at 2303 N. Church St.

Singh was shot in front of his 13-year-old son, who was working with him at the store.

Woolard was one of three witnesses who testified about Williams’ actions, including a friend who told jurors the defendant was riding around looking for a “lick” or someone to rob, and the alleged getaway driver in the heist, who said she saw Williams enter the store.

Christopher Miller, Williams’ friend, told jurors that Williams, aka “Beans,” along with co-defendant Arthur “Coast” Burton III and others were driving around looking for someone to rob.

Miller said he was invited to go on a robbery with the group, but instead went to a party. He said Williams told him about the robbery the next day — saying the group entered the store wearing ski masks and they only made off with $400 to $500.

Brittany Nicole Price, Burton’s former girlfriend, testified that she drove a group of men around town that day and was told to take them to Golden Gate shopping center around the time of the robbery.

Price said she parked behind the shopping center and watched as Burton, Williams and a unknown third man went into the convenience store with guns. She said the fourth man stayed in the car, but she didn’t know it at the time.

She testified that Burton told her, “Beanie shot that dude. We had the money, but Beanie shot that dude in front of his son.”

Price took a plea deal to testify in the case — and Assistant District Attorney Robert Enochs agreed to drop a first-degree murder charge against her and reduce other charges in exchange for her testimony.

In cross-examination, defense attorney Matt Stockdale got Price to admit that many earlier statements she made to police weren’t truthful. He said that another man — Phillip Simpson — had been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the case because of her bogus statements to police, and Price admitted this was true.

Charges were later dropped against Simpson.

The trial is set to resume at 9:30 a.m. today.

Contact Ryan Seals at 373-7077 or ryan.seals @news-record.com

 

Accompanying Photos

Courtesy Guilford County jail

Photo Caption: Raytheon Williams

Comments

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Voice of Reason

November 19, 2009 - 7:04 am EST

Why kill a store clerk for gang status? At best that makes you a heartless petty crook who kills unnecessarily. Aren't there plenty of gang members in this city? Wouldn't that be a better target? At least there would be one less gang member out there. No, instead of getting two thugs off the street you killed an innocent man and scarred his son for life, then got a life sentence. You sir, are completely useless and a huge waste of life. Enjoy whatever gang status you get from this senseless killing, and enjoy all the fun of prison life. I'm sure you'll find prison is the best place for a loser like you.

ps: not being in jail is awesome!

mohair.sam

November 19, 2009 - 7:45 am EST

What Voice said. It's a net gain when gang members kill each other. They're doing civilization a favor. But killing the innocent -- and gangs have done plenty of this -- simply means that they're cockroaches. I don't want any more money spent on this piece of garbage than is necessary; may he get a life sentence sans parole, and may he be killed by one of his fellow species in prison.

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