Chickashanews.com

Local News

September 21, 2006

Appeals court modifies molester’s sentence

Jason Clarke

OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma Criminal Court of Appeals has shortened the sentence of a child molester.

A Grady County jury sentenced Charles A. Willingham to a total of 60 years on four counts of lewd molestation in February of 2005. It was a verdict and sentence that the group was so sure of that, after being dismissed, all 12 jurors filed back into the courtroom and sat behind the victim and her family.

“It meant a lot to us and the victim that the jurors showed so much interest in the case,” Assistant District Attorney Leah Edwards said at the time.

Earlier this month, the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals decided the jurors were too harsh in their sentence. The modification states the sentence “shocks the conscience,” according to Edwards.

While the Court agreed the evidence proved Willingham’s guilt, it modified Willingham’s sentence so the counts would run at the same time, as opposed to the consecutive counts ordered by District Judge Richard Van Dyck at Willingham’s sentencing hearing in March of 2005.

The decision effectively drops Willingham from a 60 year sentence to a 20 year sentence.

“We are very disappointed,” Edwards said, “He deserved 60 years for what he did.”

Willingham was arrested on Oct. 8, 2003, after reportedly holding a .22 caliber rifle to the heads of two children.

During interviews it was discovered that Willingham had repeatedly molested the female victim, having forced her into performing a variety of sexual acts.

The jury found him guilty on all four counts of lewd molestation, sentencing him to 10 years on the first count, 15 years on the second count, 15 years on the third count, and 20 years on the fourth.

Text Only
Local News