SUFFOLK
Willie L. Waters Jr. was a leader in the Bang Bang Williamstown Gang. When a rival gang, the South Suffolk Gangsters, robbed and insulted his men, a prosecutor said, Waters sought revenge.
So he got into a car and, as it passed a house on Hunter Street, Waters sprayed bullets into a group of people standing out front.
One of the bullets hit a 16-year-old boy in the leg. Two others hit 14-year-old Diane Holland, whom prosecutors have called throughout court proceedings "an innocent." One struck Holland in the chest, killing her.
Waters, who maintained his innocence, was sentenced Thursday to 87 years in prison for first-degree murder and for conspiracy to commit murder. Waters, 22, is already facing 21 years in federal court as a result of drug charges.
"This was the result of a verbal slight," prosecutor Jeff James said in court. "It was disrespect. He was just going over there to spray a crowd with bullets. He was merciless. He was showing recklessness for every person out there."
Prosecutors asked that Judge Carl Eason Jr. show no mercy for Waters.
He was charged in 2005 but prosecutors said then there wasn't enough evidence for a conviction. Waters was charged again in May 2007.
The driver of the car, Monique Davis, of Windsor, was charged in July 2006. She pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.
"It was tragic a child was killed," said Michael Massie, Waters' attorney. "But our position is that Waters was not the person who killed that child. I call this the convicted felons test. Most of the witnesses came from the Western Tidewater Regional Jail and said Waters told them he did it.
"How foolish. The jury's decision to believe some of the most treacherous people I've ever seen in court was amazing."
Massie indicated that Waters would appeal.
The judge also ordered Waters to pay $1,225 restitution for Diane Holland's funeral.
Linda McNatt, (757) 222-5561, linda.mcnatt@pilotonline.com
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