Garden City man claims DA conflict in DWI case

A Garden City man who prosecutors say was the target of a botched murder plot is asking that a special prosecutor be appointed in a separate drunken-driving case against him, saying the Nassau district attorney's office has a conflict of interest in the case.

A lawyer for Peter Williams, 46, said Wednesday it is improper for prosecutors to interview his client as a possible witness in the murder-for-hire case against Williams' estranged wife, Susan Williams, at the same time they are seeking a drunken-driving conviction against him. It would be too easy for prosecutors, who are asking to speak to Peter Williams without his defense lawyer present, to get information from him that they could then use against him in the drunken-driving case, Michael DerGarabedian said.

"I don't see how anyone can't see a conflict," DerGarabedian said after a brief court appearance Wednesday.

Prosecutors are expected to state their position on assigning a special prosecutor in the case in court Thursday morning.

Prosecutors say Susan Williams, 43, in February asked an investigator she had hired to refer her to a hit man to kill Peter Williams. Unbeknownst to her, the supposed hit man who the acquaintance put her in touch with was an undercover police officer, who videotaped Williams as she paid him a $500 deposit on the $20,000 job, prosecutors said.

Susan Williams could go to trial as early as this month on charges of second-degree criminal solicitation and second-degree conspiracy, lawyers in the case said. If convicted, she could face a maximum of 81/3 to 25 years in prison.

The two cases also have a witness in common. DerGarabedian said it was Susan Williams' private investigator who called police to report that Peter Williams was driving drunk on May 11. That's the same investigator Susan Williams asked to connect her with a hit man to kill Peter Williams, DerGarabedian said.

In an odd twist of events, that investigator called DerGarabedian for legal advice after Susan Williams asked him to connect her with a hit man, DerGarabedian said. DerGarabedian told the investigator to call the Nassau district attorney's office.

Later, DerGarabedian said he found out that the target of the would-be hit was Peter Williams, who is a friend of his from high school.