Philadelphia district attorney plans to appeal Williams decision

(Philadelphia) — Philadelphia's top prosecutor is vowing to appeal to the state Supreme Court after a judge halted Wednesday's scheduled execution of death row inmate Terrance "Terry" Williams and granted him a new sentencing hearing.

Judge M. Teresa Sarmina on Friday halted the execution and says prosecutors suppressed evidence that Williams' victim was an alleged pedophile who abused boys, including Williams. However, Sarmina upheld Williams' first-degree murder conviction.

Williams' lawyers say police and prosecutors withheld evidence about the sexual link between him and victim Amos Norwood, so the jury never heard about it before voting for a death sentence.

District Attorney Seth Williams said he would appeal to the state's highest court. Philadelphia prosecutors deny any wrongdoing in the 1986 trial.