FAYETTEVILLE -- Lawyers for a Springdale man charged with murder filed motions Monday aimed at suppressing statements and limiting pretrial publicity in the case.
Anferney Amram, 18, is charged with capital murder and aggravated residential burglary in the shooting of Xavier Williams.
Police found Williams, 24, dead Aug. 17 in his apartment at Strawberry Meadows Place. He was shot multiple times with a 9mm handgun Aug. 16, according to a police report.
Among the almost 20 motions are one to suppress statements Amram made to police after his arrest and another to suppress the statements of any co-defendants or co-conspirators.
Amram told police he shot Williams because he threatened Amram's family. He said he planned to kill Williams a few months earlier and he stole the gun with which to shoot him, according to a news release.
Amram's attorneys say he was not properly informed of his Miranda rights before being interrogated by police, and the statements of others would be hearsay.
The motion to prevent pretrial publicity asks Washington County Circuit Judge Mark Lindsay to bar the defense, prosecutors, police and crime lab employees from discussing the case with the media.
"The continued release of information to the media is likely to prejudice the defendant's right to a fair trial comprised of an impartial jury free from outside influences in accordance with due process of law," according to the motion. "This case will continue to generate some publicity as hearings are held and preparation is made for trial. However, the unnecessary, continued exposure of this case outside of courtroom litigation will trigger the media to recount the history of this case and of the defendant and very often in an encapsulated and incomplete fashion which generates false and unwarranted public perceptions about this case and serve to prejudice the public, and potential jurors, against the defendant."
Other motions would require psychological examination reports to be filed under seal, sever Amram's case from that of any co-defendants, suppress any gruesome photographs or evidence and prohibit any attempts, covert or overt, to obtain information, statements or evidence from Amram.
The defense wants witnesses sequestered during trial and a prohibition of displays of emotion in the courtroom. They want the prosecution to be prevented from telling potential witnesses what one another said or from preparing witnesses together.
Finally, the defense is asking prosecutors to define the circumstances that would allegedly manifest extreme indifference to the value of human life, a requirement of the capital-murder charge.
If convicted of capital murder, Amram could get the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole. Prosecutors have not said whether they intend to seek the death penalty against Amram.
Amram is being held at the Washington County jail with no bail set. His next court appearance is May 14.
Junior Betero Teorea, 17, was arraigned and charged as an adult in Washington County Circuit Court in late August. He is charged with accomplice to residential burglary.
Teorea, of Springdale, pleaded innocent. He was 16 at the time of the shooting.
The residential-burglary charge carries a potential sentence of 10 to 40 years or life with the possibility of parole after 20 years.
Teorea is being held in the Washington County Juvenile Detention Center with no bail set.
Albert Davis, 19; Billson Andrike, 19; and Tracy Schuman, 33, were also arrested in the days after the homicide.
Schuman pleaded innocent to accomplice to capital murder and hindering apprehension. Andrike and Davis pleaded innocent to accomplice to tampering with evidence and accomplice to residential burglary.
Metro on 03/20/2018