Andre Williams’ death row appeal denied

WARREN — A Trumbull County judge has once again ruled against 39-year-old death row inmate Andre Williams’ request to be deemed ineligible for the death penalty on grounds that he is retarded.

Judge W. Wyatt McKay of common pleas court ruled Tuesday that none of the evidence he received since the August 1988 crime or after the landmark federal ruling in 2002 banning the execution of mentally retarded defendants indicates that Williams should be spared execution.

The 11th District Court of Appeals in Warren ordered judge McKay to reconsider his 2004 ruling, in which he denied Williams’ request to be spared the death penalty the first time.

Williams was convicted in 1989 of killing George Melnick, 65, and severely beating Melnick's wife, Katherine, 65, in Warren.

For more, see Wednesday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com