Williams Pleads Guilty To Mark Hasse's Murder, Sentenced To 40 Years In Prison
Jack Fink | @CBS11Jack
KAUFMAN, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - Kim Williams pleaded guilty Tuesday morning to the murder of Kaufman County assistant DA Mark Hasse, nearly two years after it happened.
She admitted her role in the Kaufman County Courthouse, just down the street from the parking lot Hasse was gunned down.
As part of her deal with prosecutors, Kim Williams is sentenced to 40 years in state prison and won't face the death penalty.
Williams appeared in court in her own case two weeks after she testified against her estranged husband Eric Williams in his trial.
She was the getaway driver during Hasse's murder nearly two years ago, in January, 2013.
Kim Williams testified her husband plotted to kill Hasse and the DA Mike McLelland after they successfully prosecuted him for stealing county computers.
Eric Williams lost his job as a Justice of the Peace.
READ MORE: KAUFMAN COUNTY MURDERS
Earlier this month, a jury convicted him for murdering McLelland and his wife Cynthia in their home, and sentenced him to death.
On Tuesday, the McLellands' adult children took the stand to make victim impact statements.
They thanked Kim Williams for providing key testimony in the case.
Kristal Ball, Mike McLelland's daughter said, "This closes one part of our life, but we will never get back those human beings ya'll took out. So you will serve your time, and we will go on with our lives."
JR McLelland, Mike's son told Williams, "I understand you may have been threatened, but you had too many opportunities to stop it, and you didn't take them."
Nathan Foreman, Cynthia McLelland's son said, "It was riveting listening to your testimony. That being said, I'm glad you're going to spend time in jail."
Kim Williams' defense attorney, Paul Johnson, said today his client is very sorry for what happened.
She'll be up for parole in 20 years, and McLelland's family said they'll do their part to make sure she stays in prison for all 40 years.
Also today, Eric Williams' attorneys asked a judge to have his client tested for any possible brain damage.
The state and judge agreed to allow it.
Prosecutors say they have no plans to have Eric and Kim Williams tried on the remaining indictments in the case.
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