WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-Victim's family on new sentencing for arsonist in deadly fire

Victim's family on new sentencing for arsonist in deadly fire

January 27, 2012

A Milton man convicted of sparking a deadly fire is getting another shot at a new prison sentence, more than a decade after pleading guilty to setting his apartment building on fire.

Earlier this week, a judge ruled that Eric Williams deserves a new sentencing hearing because his lawyer at the time did a bad job. Williams is currently serving 40-60 years for torching the Sarah Marie Apartments in 1999. The fire killed his upstairs neighbor and her three grandchildren.

Now Bobbie Moulton, the father of one of the victims, is speaking out.

"I'm glad we're not going to a retrial because I think that that would cause a lot more pain. And I think we've all been through enough pain," Moulton said. "I want closure. I want to see justice served and be able to get on with my life without him coming back into it every five years causing as much pain as he can."

State prosecutors are now weighing whether to appeal the judge's decision.

If a new sentencing hearing takes place, the state will have to present its evidence again and make a compelling argument justifying a stiff sentence. Prosecutors say that is going to be challenging given that the case is 12 years old.

A date for that sentencing hearing has not been set.

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