DENVER—A judge entered a not guilty plea Friday for the man accused of killing Denver Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams in a drive-by shooting.
Willie D. Clark, 25, is charged with first-degree murder and 38 other counts in the New Years Day 2007 slaying.
District Judge Christina M. Habas entered the plea on Clark’s behalf after rejecting defense attorneys’ request for a two-month delay.
Clark’s plea had already been delayed once, in December, when defense attorneys asked for more time to review evidence.
Clark also denied a defense request that Clark be granted bail. The judge scheduled a two-week trial to begin July 6.
Clark, dressed in a bright red jail uniform, sat with his hands handcuffed in front of him, occasionally consulting with his attorney. He raised his hands to his chest and smiled at supporters as he left the courtroom.
Williams was killed while riding in a rented limousine after leaving a New Year’s Eve party at a Denver nightclub.
Williams and Clark were at the club with separate groups that exchanged taunts, according to an indictment handed up in October. The argument continued outside the club after it closed, and witnesses testified that a “large” man from Williams’ group grabbed Clark “about the head,” the indictment said.
Williams’ group left in the limo. A witness told investigators that Clark was driving an SUV when he caught up with the limo and fired into it.
Police said the limo was pierced by at least 15 shots from .45-caliber and .40-caliber guns.
Williams was shot in the neck, and died in the arms of then-Broncos wide receiver Javon Walker, who was in the limo. Walker, now with the Oakland Raiders, wasn’t injured. Two other passengers were wounded but survived.
It took nearly two years for police to build their case against Clark, and investigators expressed frustration with the “no snitch” culture they said they encountered.
A break in the case came Aug. 21 when police said they authenticated a letter in Clark’s handwriting allegedly admitting to the slaying. The letter was obtained by the Rocky Mountain News.
In Friday’s hearing, defense attorney Darren Cantor said Clark never told police he wrote the letter, only that it was in his handwriting. Cantor said the original was missing and that a copy obtained by police came from a former Clark cellmate who had first contacted the Denver Broncos hoping to collect a $100,000 reward.
“Even the grand jurors expressed skepticism about the letter,” Cantor told the judge. Defense attorney Abraham Hutt told Habas that one witness was paid by authorities “the functional equivalent” of $1 million for his testimony.
Clark is a suspected gang member who is also known as “Little Let Loose” and “Lil Willie.” He faces murder charges in the unrelated shooting death of Kalonniann Clark in Denver in December 2006.
Prosecutors say Willie Clark and Kalonniann Clark were not related.
Willie Clark is accused of arranging the slaying of Kalonniann Clark at the request of Brian Hicks, 29. Hicks was in jail at the time and Kalonniann Clark was scheduled to testify against him in a drug case, authorities said.
Prosecutors allege Willie Clark hired 27-year-old Shun Birch, the accused triggerman in the death of Kalonniann Clark. Hicks and Birch also face murder charges in that case.
On Friday, Chief Deputy District Attorney Timothy Twining asked Judge Habas to take testimony from witnesses in her chambers, away from public view. “All the witnesses in the case have contacted Detective (Michael) Martinez to express great fear,” Twining said. “The defendant is charged in another case of killing a witness so it’s no surprise.”
Habas did not publicly rule on that request.
