The supporters are not advocating that Williams be freed. The recommendation is that Gov. Corbett commute Williams’ death sentence to life without parole. The widow of murder victim Amos Norwood is a supporter.
The story: The leader of Philadelphia Catholics, Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, and others contend that jurors in the original trial would have spared Williams’ life had they heard evidence of abuse that might have been a mitigating factor, but wasn’t put before them. Some jurors have said they voted to condemn Williams on the mistaken belief that state law permitted parole under a life sentence for first-degree murder.
Williams was sexual abused by Norwood since age 13. According to change.org, "throughout his childhood, Terry suffered prolonged violent physical and sexual abuse from older males. Born into poverty with a violently abusive mother and absent father, Terry faced abuse and neglect in his home that made him vulnerable to sexual predators. He was first raped by an older boy when he was only six years old." After years of suffering unimaginable horrors, when he was 17- and 18-years old, Terry killed these two men who abused him for years– and now faces death. As a teenager, Terry became acquainted with two middle-aged men who used their influence as a church leader and as a sports booster to get access to young boys.
Terry’s tragic history of abuse was never presented at trial.
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| Terrance at 18 when he committed murder |
