Sons Beat Down Mother’s Killer at Sentencing Hearing

The two sons of a woman killed at the hands of her ex-boyfriend gave the man a much-needed beat down during his sentencing hearing. The men were each charged with assault after they jumped over court seats and tables to get to Dale Williams.

The Incident

In June 2017, 62-year-old Williams rammed the vehicle driven by 46-year-old Elizabeth Pledger-Stewart, causing it to crash. The woman exited the vehicle on Market Street in Youngstown (Ohio) to assess damages and wait for the police.

As she stood on the sidewalk, Williams approached with a firearm in his hand and opened fire. He shot Pledger-Stewart one time at point-blank range. She died instantly.

During the sentencing hearing, Williams provided grizzly details of the premeditated murder, telling the judge he even picked the perfect time of day to make sure she was driving on the road.

Unable to bear hearing any more details of the murder, 30-year-old Anthony Dees and 23-year-old Jerome Stewart Jr. ran through police officers and jumped over tables in the courtroom to knock the smirk off the face of Williams who stood before the judge to hear his fate.

“That was my mama,” Stewart says as police tase and tackle him to the ground. The officers then place him in handcuffs behind his back. He then says “She took care of me when nobody else did.”

Although Stewart Jr. cannot see what is going on, his brother is on the ground on the other side of him and the downed Williams, still kicking at the man as police struggle to place him in handcuffs.

Court officers quickly took control of the situation. Fortunately, the two brothers got in a few good swings and kicks beforehand. Williams had to be transported to a local hospital for treatment. Lucky for him, it wasn’t the morgue.

Take a look at the video here:

Williams Sentenced to 23-Years to Life

Williams’s sentencing hearing was delayed as a result of the attack. At a later date, Judge Maureen Sweeney sentenced the man to 23-years to life in prison. At this hearing, Stewart’s aunt apologized to the court about the brawl at the previous court hearing, saying that seeing Williams’s face that day brought out a lot of emotion.

Brothers Sentenced to 30-Days

The brothers pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against them. However, both were found guilty of assault and each received 30-days in jail. The judge presiding over the case also ordered them to pay a fine. A Change.org petition urging the D.A. to drop all charges against them was later created on Change.org.

Pledger-Stewart was the mother of four, the youngest 14-years-old, when she died. She was well-liked by everyone who knew her, including coworkers, church members, and those in her big family.

My Thoughts About the Case

The brothers should not have been charged with assault. Or, at least, given a pass based on the heat of the moment defense. However, I am glad they only got a 30-day sentence because we all know it could have gone much different. They lost their mother and had every right to be angry with Williams. He is lucky the brothers did not attack him worse and that he walked away from the situation with nothing more than a ride in an ambulance to the local hospital.

My condolences to the entire Pledger-Stewart family. I hope Williams never again sees the light of day.

Resources & Additional Case Information:

https://www.wkbn.com/news/man-convicted-of-2017-youngstown-murder-to-appear-for-sentencing-again/