Inmate released over coronavirus fears arrested for murder hours after leaving jail

‘I call on the state attorney to prosecute this defendant to the fullest extent of the law’

An inmate who was released from prison amid coronavirus contamination fears, has been arrested on a charge of murder.

Joseph Edward Williams was arrested on Monday, in Florida, after being accused of committing second degree murder the day after he was released.

Mr Williams was released, along with over 100 other inmates under Administrative Order 2020-018, that was drafted to protect inmates and staff in prison, during the coronavirus pandemic.

He was initially arrested on 13 March on a charge of heroin possession and the Sheriff’s office confirmed that the 26-year-old has now been arrested for 35 charges in total throughout the course of his criminal history.

Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a press release that Mr Williams took advantage of the coronavirus pandemic.​

“There is no question Joseph Williams took advantage of this health emergency to commit crimes while he was out of jail awaiting resolution of a low-level, non-violent offence,” Mr Chronister said.

“As a result, I call on the state attorney to prosecute this defendant to the fullest extent of the law,” he added.​

Mr Chronister admitted that it’s difficult to keep both prisoners and the public safe during the pandemic.

“Judges, prosecutors, and sheriffs around the country are facing difficult decisions during this health crisis with respect to balancing public health and public safety,” he said.

“Sheriffs in Florida and throughout our country have released non-violent, low-level offenders to protect our deputies and the jail population from an outbreak. Our commitment as an agency is to keep this community safe and enforce the law.”

He added that “every murder, every violent crime, especially those involving a gun, is a sickening example of the worst in our community, especially at a time when our community is working relentlessly to fight against the spread of this deadly COVID-19.”

Prisons across the country are struggling to keep inmates and prison staff safe during the outbreak and Maryland’s chief public defender, Paul DeWolfe, is trying to get inmates who are old, high-risk or nearing their release terms released from prison, amid the pandemic.

He told the Independent that “the surge is coming. It’s just an inevitability,” and added “our jails and prisons are virtual petri dishes”.

According to a tracking project hosted by Johns Hopkins University, Florida has upwards of 21,019 confirmed coronavirus cases and at least 499 deaths.

In the US as a whole, upwards of 594,207 people have tested positive for coronavirus. The death toll has reached at least 25,402.