Cleveland
July 15, 2015
A Heartless Felons gang member already serving life in prison plus 100 years was given an additional three years Monday for threatening Cuyahoga Common Pleas Judge Michael Astrab.
William Hammons, who turned 24 on Monday, pleaded guilty to retaliation and three counts of aggravated menacing. Visiting judge Dale Crawford gave Hammons the maximum sentence, to be served consecutive with his previous sentence.
“We have to be free to do our jobs and if someone tries to threaten us or intimidate us, that compromises the legal system,” Astrab said in a phone interview with Northeast Ohio Media Group.
Astrab said Hammons sent a letter to his office that was “very vulgar and very violent” in tone and directed at his entire family.
“As a judge, there’s certain risks involved in the job,” Astrab said. “But to bring my whole family into it is a whole other level of unacceptable. I couldn’t tolerate that at all.”
Astrab sentenced Hammons to life in prison plus another 100 years to life in 2013 for the rape and murder of Sharon Anderson-Norfus in May of 2012. Hammons broke into the Shaker Heights apartment of Anderson-Norfus, 60, and raped her before strangling her and stealing her phone and keys. Authorities said Hammons is a member of the Heartless Felons gang.