FATAL DRUG DEAL WAS A FAVOR

Witness Said Accused Killer Was The Target Of A Later Drug Sting

Ryan Palmer said he set up Michael "Shack" Jones in a drug deal with
an undercover state trooper.

But as a favor to a friend, he arranged another drug buy from Jones
days before the planned sting, Palmer testified Tuesday.

Both deals fell apart when his friend, Terry Williams, was allegedly
shot to death by Jones during the Christmas 2004 cocaine transaction,
and Jones fled home to Ohio.

Jones was back in York County in March where, after learning U.S.
Marshals were searching for him in Youngstown, he turned himself in.
He now is on trial in Common Pleas Court for first- and third-degree murder.

Palmer, who is awaiting sentencing on an unrelated robbery, told the
jury that Williams, 36, wanted to buy some crack cocaine Christmas
night. Palmer, at the time a paid drug informant, said he called a
man he had met on Dec. 23 and knew only as Shack.

Palmer already had arranged a Dec. 27 meeting between Jones and
Trooper Danny Fry, who was working undercover in the vice and
narcotics unit. Fry confirmed the planned meeting.

Palmer denied defense attorney Rick Robinson's allegation that he,
Williams and Marion Simmons planned to rob Jones of drugs and money
that Saturday.

"I didn't want to mess up the plan I had for him for Monday with
Danny Fry," Palmer said.

Palmer said he took Williams and Simmons to the area of Jackson and
Manor streets and dropped them off. He then went and picked up Jones
and returned to the intersection about 30 minutes later.

He said Williams got into the car, and he and Jones began arguing
about showing the drugs or the money first.

Palmer said he got nervous about having "three black guys driving
around in a car doing a drug transaction" and asked Jones and
Williams to make their deal outside.

He said as he watched them walk away in his rearview mirror, he saw
Williams suddenly punch Jones, knocking him to the ground, and then
repeatedly hit him in the head with his fists. He said Jones managed
to regain his feet, his head in the pit of Williams' stomach and
Williams' forearms across his throat.

The men were in that position when he heard gunshots and saw Jones
run away with a gun in his hand, Palmer said.

Palmer said he checked on his friend's condition and then drove to a
nearby bar to call 911.

He said he made anonymous calls to county control giving more
information about Jones and the shooting. Palmer's last call was
transferred to York City Police on Dec. 30 and traced. Officers took
him into custody at a Roosevelt Avenue restaurant.

According to other testimony Tuesday, Williams was shot four times in
the chest and abdomen with a 9mm, .38-caliber or .357-caliber
handgun. The slugs were recovered during the autopsy, but no shell
casings were found at the scene and no weapon was connected with the killing.