Friday, May 17, 2013 | 3:45 p.m.
CARSON CITY — The Nevada Supreme has overturned the murder conviction of Christian D. Williams in a gang shooting in Las Vegas because of errors by the prosecution and police.
The court said Thursday there was sufficient evidence to convict Williams in the December 2007 shooting of Leshonta Matthews, but “errors were numerous and involved misconduct concerning both prosecutors and police.”
In reversing the conviction, the court said Williams was not read his Miranda rights when taken to the police station. The court also said the prosecution wrongly compared Williams to John Gotti, who was the head of the Gambino crime family.
“We condemn the prosecutor’s actions in this case and conclude that the misconduct contributed to the cumulative error which warrants reversal of Williams’ judgment of conviction,” the court ruling said.
Williams was sentenced to 20 years to life plus another seven to 10 years.
At the time of Matthews’ slaying, there were a series of gang shootings involving the Wood and Squad UP gangs.
Matthews and Williams were members of the Wood gang, and Matthews gave information to police that led to the murder conviction of another member of the Wood gang, according to court records.
According the court briefs, Williams called Mathews a “snitch.”
Both played in a dice game in which Williams lost and Mathews won. Later, Williams pulled a gun, aimed it at the back of Mathews’ head and ordered him to empty his pockets, according to court records.
Mathews turned around, pulled a gun and fired, according to court records. Williams was wounded in the thigh and Mathews died of a head wound, according to court records.
Williams was 16 years old at the time and the victim was 17.
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