OAN’s Roy Francis
12:42 PM – Thursday, June 29, 2023
A grand jury in New York declined to indict Jordan Williams in connection with the fatal stabbing that happened on a New York City subway on June 13th.
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The 20-year-old from Queens was on the train with his girlfriend around 8:00 pm when Devictor Ouedraogo, an ex-con who had served time in 2009 for attempted robbery, began harassing the passengers yelling that he was going to “erase someone.”
Ouedraogo then approached Williams’ girlfriend and verbally harassed her. Williams then shoved Ouedraogo away when he refused to leave her alone.
Ouedraogo then proceeded to attack the couple, the altercation ended when Williams drew out a knife and fatally stabbed him.
Williams was arrested and charged shortly after the incident, but he was released without bail.
A grand jury found that Williams, who had been charged with manslaughter and criminal possession of a weapon, had acted in self-defense and refused to indict him.
“Our office conducted an impartial and thorough investigation of this tragic case,” a spokesman for District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said. “Which included review of multiple videos and interviews with all available witnesses, and that evidence was fairly presented to a grand jury. Today, the charges against Jordan Williams have been dismissed.”
In addition to the video footage of the incident, witnesses supported Williams’ defense that he had acted in self-defense only after being attacked.
“Under New York law,” the District Attorney’s office stated. “A person is justified in using deadly physical force when they reasonably believe it is necessary to use such force to defend themselves or others from imminent use of deadly or unlawful physical force.”
Williams’ father, James Williams, said that he was “thankful to everybody’s energy.”
“I’m ecstatic,” James Williams said. “I am very thankful to everybody’s energy and everything that has transpired to clear my son’s name so he can continue to live his life and move forward.”
The case of Williams has been compared to Daniel Penny who had been indicted and pleaded not guilty as he was arraigned on manslaughter charges in relation to the death of Jordan Neely on May 1st.
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