Alleged guard attacker rejects deals

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - A Kent County jail inmate accused of several robberies and attacking a corrections officer during an escape attempt has refused to accept any of the three plea deals he was offered.

Willie Lee Wilson Williams said that he does not want to enter a plea in the multiple cases he is charged with and instead will go to trial.  

Williams was originally arrested after a string of armed robberies in July 2012. In September, he allegedly beat and choked a female corrections officer to unconsciousness after escaping his medium-security cell. Other inmates broke out of their cells to come to her aid, subduing Williams and radioing other guards for help.

Williams was then charged with assaulting a prison employee, escape from jail through violence, assault with intent to murder and being a fourth-time habitual offender.

A week ago, prosecutors offered Williams three different plea deals, each of which would have shortened the possible sentences he faces.

At the time, Williams told Judge Mark Trusock he wasn't interested in the deals, but the judge gave him one week to think about them and scheduled a hearing for Monday.

Williams apparently didn't need that much time to think. Court records show he officially rejected the offers on Friday. Trusock set a trial date for May 6.

If Williams is convicted, he faces between 11.25 and 37.5 years in prison for the robberies and between 18.75 and 62.5 years for the assault and attempted escape.