UPDATE: Family and friends will gather to remember Rev. Dr. Autura Eason-Williams beginning August 2. A viewing will be held at Anthony Funeral Home in West Memphis, Arkansas at 4 p.m.
Eason-Williams’ funeral will be on August 3 at St. Paul United Methodist Church in Lakeland, Tennessee at 10 a.m.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The two teens charged with carjacking and murdering Pastor Autura Eason-Williams went before a judge Monday to determine if their case will stay in juvenile court or be moved to adult court.
The judge told both suspects there only had to be probable cause for their case to be transferred to adult court. She also said she will look at their criminal history, school records, the psychological report and the facts of the case and evidence against them.
Both 15-year-olds spoke to the judge via video. She granted their lawyers more time to have mental evaluations done before making her decision. The parents of both teen suspects were also on the video call.
Dr. Eason-Williams’ husband was also on the call. WREG spoke to him on the phone today, but he did not want to talk about the hearing.
Although Pastor Eason-William’s daughter believes the teens should go through juvenile court, the slain pastor’s husband previously made it clear he wanted the teens to be tried as adults to keep them off the streets as long as possible.
“They could possibly get out at the age of 19 and have a free record and have the rest of their lives together,” Darrell Eason-Williams said. “My wife, she can’t have her life back.”
Both juveniles will be back in court via video call on September 12. The 20-year-old charged in Eason-William’s death will appear in court on August 15.