Convictions on attempted rape and aggravated burglary in a 2010 Lyon County case will stand.
The Kansas Court of Appeals affirmed a district court ruling in a case against 36-year-old Maurice C. Williams. In an opinion announced Friday, the Court of Appeals said Williams essentially tried to re-litigate his case after changing attorneys and seeking to withdraw his guilty pleas once an agreement was reached with prosecutors and accepted by the court.
Williams was originally charged with aggravated battery, attempted rape, attempted sexual battery and other charges. As court proceedings continued, district court approved an amended complaint that added charges of aggravated kidnapping and aggravated assault. Williams pleaded no contest to the reduced list of charges in September 2010.
After his plea was approved, Williams changed attorneys, saying his original attorney, Don Lill, was ineffective and pressured him to accept a no-contest plea. He also said the state didn’t have enough evidence to pursue the charges to which he ultimately pleaded.
This was Williams’ third appeal in this case. The Court of Appeals has already affirmed district court rulings to deny two separate motions to withdraw his plea.