A felon was convicted again Thursday, this time for killing a man at Atlanta’s Starlight Drive-in Theater.
After about two hours of deliberations, a DeKalb County jury found Quentric Williams guilty of malice murder for the May 2012 shooting death of Mitt Lenix, saying that Williams fired on Lenix with deadly intent.
“These were the toughest three days of my life,” said Lenix’s father, William Lenix, after the verdict was read. “Now, it’s a time for healing.”
DeKalb County District Attorney Robert James said Lenix’s family was granted justice.
“A human being was taken away way before his time … and for what?” James asked after the verdict was read. “Senseless acts of violence will not be tolerated.”
Williams, 32, was on trial for murder, aggravated assault, aggravated assault of a peace officer and a host of other charges for shooting martial arts expert Lenix as he approached Williams’ pick-up to ask for a jump-start.
In addition to murder and two counts of felony murder — killing a person while committing a felony — jurors found Williams guilty of two counts of aggravated assault, fleeing and gun possession.
The jury found him not guilty of two counts of aggravated assault of a peace officer.
After killing Lenix, Williams led police on a high-speed chase from south DeKalb County to the edge of the Gwinnett County boarder, slamming his rented truck into police cars trying to stop him and tossing thousands of dollars in cash out of the window as he drove, authorities said.
He wrecked the truck and abandoned it, leaving his girlfriend, who was unconscious as he fled on foot.
It was never disputed whether Williams shot Lenix on the night of May 8, 2012. Williams even took to the witness stand on Wednesday to admit to the shooting.
“It was self-defense,” Williams said, claiming he only meant to fire a warning shot at someone he believed was coming to harm him and his girlfriend. “I fired up.”
He said he saw a shadowy figure darting back and forth toward his truck and ultimately seeming to reach at his waist for a firearm.
Williams’ attorney, Russel Hetzel, said his client had nothing to gain by admitting to the shooting.
“He told the truth … even when it was in his best interest not to,” Hetzel told the jury Thursday morning during closing arguments. “If that firing is justified, then it’s not a crime.”
But prosecutors gave a different perspective during closing arguments.
“Self-preservation?” assistant DeKalb County district attorney Zina B. Gumbs asked the jury. “Does that mean take a life?”
William Lenix applauded the judicial system and the jurors for what he characterized as their clarity.
“I thank God that we live in America and that we had 12 people who could see through the lies,” he said.
Still, the U.S. Army veteran and martial arts instructor who trains at-risk youth struck a somewhat magnanimous tone when he referred to Williams.
“I regret that my wife and I didn’t get to reach out to him like we have to others,” William Lenix said.
Williams has served two state prison terms for drug convictions, according to prison records.
He now faces a maximum sentence of life plus 15 years in prison, prosecutors said.
Sentencing will be May 8 at 2 p.m.
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