News Tennessee Alumnus

Twenty Years to Life

2014

It took two botched police lineups, several erroneous witness statements and no physical evidence to lock up 14-year-old Anthony Williams for life in the shooting of a fellow teen he did not know. Twenty years later, a University of Tennessee at Chattanooga psychology professor helped unravel the case and set Williams free.

By The Liberty Team /

2014

Anthony Williams changed the course of his life forever when he went to a dance on Dec. 30, 1993, in his hometown of St. Louis.

It seemed innocent enough. A friend told him about the event, which was a fundraiser for the Phase Drum and Bugle Corps, and they decided to go check it out, meet some girls and have a good time. Williams was 14.

During the dance, someone pulled a chair out from under someone else, and a fight between two teenaged boys ensued. Lots of teens joined in, including Williams, who did not know the other two boys. Chaperones broke up the fight.

After the party stopped about midnight, Williams went outside and stood with some friends and other teens to wait for his ride home. Suddenly, the sound of gunfire rang out from the side of the building. People ducked for cover, and some of the teens, including Williams, ran. One of the boys who started the fight was struck in the forehead as he stood on the sidewalk. Cortez Andrews, a week shy of his 15th birthday, died two hours later at a hospital.

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