After a pre-trial hearing for a Wichita man convicted for the murder of Kenneth White only to have that reversed by the appeals court will face trial again in July in front of Judge Trish Rose.
She set a trial date of July 22, for Felton Williams Jr., with a motion deadline of July 6.
Last year, the Kansas Court of Appeals reversed his conviction, so the state will again try to get a jury to find him guilty.
It was on September 1, 2008, that the victim was found shot to death with two wounds, one to the leg and the head. His body was found after his brothers girlfriend became concerned because he didn’t answer his phone.
Williams along with Aubrey Oliver and Ronald Beard were stopped by Oklahoma Highway Patrol Troopers three times the day of the murder. The third time led to a search of the vehicle because of a possible open container. During that search, they found a weapon that belonged to White in the glove box of the vehicle, that being a Hi-Point 9 mm, pistol that had been reported stolen from the victims west side Hutchinson home. That sent two detectives to Oklahoma where Williams was interviewed and allegedly admitted to the killing. He was convicted and sentenced to 20-years in prison.
Williams appealed his conviction saying the search of his vehicle by the Oklahoma troopers was illegal. He also sought to suppress his confession saying it was not made voluntarily, but the District Court denied the motions. The appeals court agreed with the defendant and order a new trial.
The hearing was continued earlier because he had not been transferred back to the Reno County Jail. He is considered a suspect again, and not a convicted felon, so should be in custody of the sheriff and not the Department of Corrections.
Co-defendant, Aubrey Oliver entered a plea in the case and is serving 11-years in prison, while Beard was found not guilty by a Reno County jury after spending two years in the county jail awaiting trial.