SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — A San Diego County judge's decision to grant a resentencing hearing for Andy Williams, the gunman behind the 2001 Santana High School shooting, has sparked a legal battle as prosecutors file an appeal to reverse the ruling.
Williams shot and killed two students and injured 13 others in March 2001 at Santana High School. The judge's decision sends his case to juvenile court, but the district attorney's office is challenging the ruling in the appellate court.
The hearing was held to determine if Williams qualified under a California law that allows courts to resentence individuals who served at least 15 years of a "life without parole" sentence for crimes committed when they were under 18 years old.
Williams' attorney argued he falls under this category, though recent court rulings in other cases have created legal uncertainty.
"When I filed it the law was clear that it would need to be granted but since then other courts of appeal have issued contrary rulings and so that creates a split of authority," Williams' attorney said.
However, the district attorney's office contends Williams isn't eligible because he didn't receive a life without parole sentence, but rather a 50-year-to-life sentence.
During the hearing, prosecutors referenced the parole board's 2024 decision denying Williams' request for release.
"They determined that he was not suitable for release they denied parole for three years and they found specifically he lacked insight into what made him commit these horrific acts," the prosecutor said.
The prosecutor became visibly emotional while recounting the March 2001 shooting during the video conference hearing.
Cayle Anderson, a former Santana High School student who was present during the shooting, attended the hearing. Anderson described the terrifying moments when Williams emerged from a restroom and began shooting.
"Andy came out of the restroom, just started taking potshots at people, including me, missed me by about 1 ft high for about 3 or 4 months until the end of the school year that year, you could just walk by that building, just see, oh yeah, there's the bullet hole that, you know, almost killed me that day," Anderson said.
Despite being a victim of the shooting, Anderson has attended all of Williams' hearings to support his rehabilitation efforts.
"I went and visited him in the prison. I've spoken to him multiple times. I've read his CDCR file. I have seen the work he has done, and it's beyond exemplary as far as I'm concerned," Anderson said.
A status hearing for Williams' case has been scheduled for next month.
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