Gang member who pleaded guilty to 2013 Rock Hill killing gets more prison time

A Rock Hill gang member who pleaded guilty to the September 2013 stabbing and shooting death of a man was sentenced to additional prison time Thursday, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

David Denorris Williams, 35, pleaded guilty last April to voluntary manslaughter in the death of 34-year-old Johnny Lee Ellison, who was shot and stabbed on Green Street in Rock Hill in September 2013 after a night of drinking and gambling.

At the time of the killing, Williams, a known gang member, was on federal supervised release for a previous federal firearm conviction, according to U.S. Attorney Stacey Haynes. That constituted a violation of his supervised release.

U.S. District Judge Joseph F. Anderson Jr. revoked Williams’ release on Thursday and sentenced him to an additional 15 months in federal prison, which will be served consecutively to his 14-year sentence in the S.C. Department of Corrections.

Williams and his brother, Jaris Williams, were both charged with murder in Ellison’s death. Prosecutors offered plea deals down from murder because Ellison, who left behind a son, was legally drunk at the time he was killed with a .19 blood alcohol content that is more than double the legal limit. A witness to the crime also died since Ellison was killed.

Jaris Williams, 31, with a prior conviction for selling crack cocaine and other charges, pleaded guilty to assault and battery and two drug crimes and was sentenced to 12 years.

Rock Hill officers arrested both brothers shortly after the killing just south of the city’s downtown.

David Williams originally claimed that police were harassing him and fought with officers and was charged with disorderly conduct before being charged with murder.

Jaris Williams, who had only been out of prison for four months after a 9-year stretch for drugs, weapons and other crimes, ran from officers. Once caught, officers found crack cocaine in his pockets.

DNA and blood from Ellison was found on the clothing of both brothers after they were arrested, prosecutors said. Jaris Williams, while in jail, flushed gunshot residue testing bags down a jail toilet to avoid testing.

The argument that led to the shooting, and the brothers jumping on Ellison after he was stabbed, stemmed from an argument where all three men and others had been playing cards and gambling.

This story was originally published January 15, 2016 at 11:35 AM with the headline "Gang member who pleaded guilty to 2013 Rock Hill killing gets more prison time."