The Brooklyn thug accused of gunning down a young Indiana tourist outside a Bushwick Airbnb in 2020 was charged with second-degree murder – and eventually had his bail removed.
William Freeman, 26, who was picked up last week and charged in the senseless Oct. 23, 2020, shooting death of 20-year-old Ethan Williams had been held on $350,000 bail until Brooklyn prosecutors revealed in court that a grand jury had him slapped with murder.
“Now that there is an indictment, count, murder-2, I ask the court to reconsider this matter … as there is now a change in circumstances,” the assistant district attorney said. of Brooklyn, Caroline Camomanes.
Criminal Court Judge Christopher Robles agreed.
“Bail is always in court when there is a change in circumstances,” Robles said. “So if you ask me to reconsider bail, I will do so in the context of a change. In this case, you have an indictment.
The move came as a relief to the slain man’s father, who said he was shocked last week when another judge, Brooklyn Criminal Court Judge Leigh Cheng, set bail for Freeman rather than sending him back to Rikers Island no bail.
“Our family is deeply relieved to learn that our son’s killer has finally been remanded in custody . . . pending arraignment,” grieving father Jason Williams told The Post on Wednesday.
“Furthermore, we are grateful to the judge who did the right thing and we will continue to hope and pray for justice to prevail,” he said.
Freeman is due to be formally arraigned in Brooklyn Supreme Court later this month.
Ethan Williams was on the front porch of the building in Brooklyn where he and his friends had booked an apartment when he was shot and killed in a suspected gang shooting.
Freeman remained free in the case until his arrest on Thursday – despite issuing a warrant for an unrelated shoplifting case from January, records show.
His attorney, Jay Schwitzman, questioned Freeman’s alleged confession and compared it to other cases based on reputable confessions, “notably the Central Park Five.”
He said: “Promises were made to Mr. Freeman to make statements.
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