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Two Men Indicted on Murder Charges for Harlem Crash That Killed Elderly Nun

By DNAinfo Staff on July 21, 2010 8:51pm  | Updated on July 22, 2010 6:24am

By Shayna Jacobs

DNAinfo Reporter/Producer

MANHATTAN SUPREME COURT — Two Harlem men were indicted by a grand jury Wednesday on murder and robbery charges after a getaway car allegedly driven by one of them struck and killed an elderly nun.

After a spate of armed robberies throughout Harlem on June 21 and 22, Dyson Williams, 20, killed Sister Mary Celine Graham, 83, as he sped away from the police, prosecutors said. NYPD had his alleged accomplice in the robberies, William Robbins, 18, in custody several blocks away.

Both Williams and Robbins were charged with second-degree felony murder, even though Williams was the only one in the car at the time of the crash that killed Graham, according to prosecutors.

Williams, the alleged driver, got an additional murder two charge under the "depraved indifference law" because he was the one whose reckless driving directly resulted in Graham's death, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors cited a New York Court of Appeals Decision from 1993 that supports their decision to charge both individuals with murder even though they believe only one of them was in the car when Graham was killed.

Lawyers for Robbins believe he should not be facing murder charges.

MANHATTAN- (L) William Robbins, 18,  and  (R) Dyson Williams, 20, at Manhattan Criminal Court arraignment after allegedly being involved in a Harlem robbery spree in which a nun was killed crossing the street, they were remanded with out bail. (DNAinfo/ Josh Williams)
MANHATTAN- (L) William Robbins, 18, and (R) Dyson Williams, 20, at Manhattan Criminal Court arraignment after allegedly being involved in a Harlem robbery spree in which a nun was killed crossing the street, they were remanded with out bail. (DNAinfo/ Josh Williams)
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DNAinfo/Josh Williams

"This is a highly unusual case," said his attorney, Mark Jay Heller, who added he believes his client will be exonerated.

An attorney for Williams has denied since his client's arrest that Williams was the actual driver.

"There are some significant legal issues," said Williams' attorney, Daniel Gotlin, of the complicated case.

Families for both defendants were present in court Wednesday for their Supreme Court arraignment.

William Robbins, 18, at his criminal court arraignment last month.
William Robbins, 18, at his criminal court arraignment last month.
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DNAinfo/Josh Williams
William Robbins, 18, at his criminal court arraignment last month.
William Robbins, 18, at his criminal court arraignment last month.
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DNAinfo/Josh Williams