Quick Stamford trial could lead to quick sex assault conviction

Suspect acting as own lawyer

STAMFORD — A New York man representing himself against sexual assault charges asked a Stamford judge to dismiss the case against him citing a lack of evidence, even though his alleged victim testified at his trial on Monday. He will get a quick answer.

Dayvon Williams, 28, of Brooklyn, N.Y., has been in custody since August 2017 and in that time fired three of the most experi- enced public defenders in the Stamford courthouse, before filing motions demanding a speedy trial.

Two weeks ago, Williams decided to represent himself during a court trial that began Monday and in less than two hours allowed Assistant State’s Attorney Michelle Manning to put on her entire case — virtually without challenge.

After closing arguments were made, when Williams spent about three minutes arguing his case, Judge John Blawie said he

would announce Williams’ fate from the bench at 11 a.m. Tuesday.

While visiting a relative in Norwalk in May of last year, Williams is alleged to have sneaked into his cousin’s bedroom and assaulted the man’s sleeping 18-year-old girlfriend without her being aware that it was Williams - and not the boyfriend - having sex with her.

Under questioning by Manning, the victim said she had met Williams, her boyfriend’s cousin, once before the incident, about five months prior.

She described going out in White Plains before going to her boyfriend’s North Taylor Avenue home in Norwalk at about 1 a.m. on May 6. After having a few more drinks, she went to bed at about 5:30 a.m. But she awoke sometime later to someone having sex with her.

When the woman saw that it was Williams, she said she pushed him off and covered herself with her arms. She said Williams asked her not tell his cousin and threw a condom wrapper onto the bed, telling her that the sex the two had was protected.

She said she was very upset and scared and went to tell her boyfriend what happened, but the words were difficult to get out. By the time she found him in the downstairs music studio where everyone but Williams was, Williams appeared at the door, buttoning his pants, she said.

The boyfriend testified that he didn’t know exactly what had happened, but the two cousins got into an argument that culminated with him hitting Williams and kicking him out of his house and telling him never to come back.

On cross examination, Williams asked the woman why it took two days for her to make a complaint to the Norwalk police. The woman replied: “I was scared. I did not know if I wanted to go through with this.”

He then asked if she was “tired and tipsy” when she went to bed, a fact to which she had testified earlier. He then asked if she was in control during the sex incident and she replied that she had been asleep.

During her closing arguments, Manning asked Blawie to recollect the woman’s testimony and the testimony of her boyfriend, who corroborated the story. Manning said there was no question that Williams knew he was guilty of sexual assault.

Williams, however, said there was not enough evidence to convict him. He said there was no DNA evidence or testimony from anyone who was there. Williams asked Blawie to dismiss the case.

Williams’ mother Patrice Brooks, who watched the trial, said she wasn’t sure what to make of what happened in the courtroom. When informed that her son risked spending up to the next 10 years in jail if convicted, she seemed surprised. “I love my son and I don’t want to see him do any time,” she said.