Jay Nixon must free man serving 80-year sentence for burglary

In 1994, a Jackson County judge sentenced Alvis J. Williams to 80 years in prison for his role in a residential burglary. The Kansas City man, now 45, has been incarcerated for 20 years, with no end in sight.

This unduly harsh sentence, handed down by the late Senior Judge William Peters, erodes confidence in the criminal justice system. It doesn’t even make a pretense at fairness.

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon should commute Williams’ sentence to credit for time served. Enough is enough.

Williams was convicted of burglarizing a duplex on Meyer Boulevard near Holmes Road that was unoccupied at the time. No one was injured. But Williams already has spent more time behind bars than many inmates convicted of violent crimes such as armed robbery and even murder.

The average sentence for a second-degree burglary conviction is 6.2 years, according to the Missouri Department of Corrections. Armed robbers serve an average of 16.3 years.

Prosecutors had asked for a stiff 20-year sentence for Williams, noting that he had been convicted of burglary and stealing in other incidents. Without comment, Peters hiked the sentence to 80 years.

Veteran lawyers told The Star the sentence was the toughest they’ve ever seen for property crimes.

Keeping Williams behind bars is a poor use of taxpayer money at this point. And just as overly light sentences cause people to question the justice system, so do arbitrary, unfair sentences.

Nixon, a former state attorney general, isn’t partial to acts of mercy toward inmates.

But this case demands action, and right away. Williams’ prison time already has stretched the concept of justice.

This story was originally published April 20, 2015 at 3:53 PM with the headline "Jay Nixon must free man serving 80-year sentence for burglary."