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LILY LAKE — On a crisp late October Friday, the bridge where Eric Williams loved to fish was dedicated in his memory.
With his parents, brother and other family, friends and officials looking on, the “Eric J. Williams Memorial Bridge” at Lily Lake was dedicated Friday.
Williams was 34 when he was killed by an inmate at the U.S. Penitentiary Canaan in Wayne County on Feb. 25, 2013. A federal grand jury indicted inmate Jesse Con-Ui on first-degree murder charges in June 2013.
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty in the trial scheduled for July 2016.
In front of the bridge is a concrete wall where Eric and his older brother, Mark, used to fish and enjoy the great outdoors.
The bridge, located on State Route 3005, spans the Lily Lake outlet and sits less than a quarter mile from the slain officer’s home.
“This bridge sits in the shadow of Eric’s home,” said State Rep. Gerald Mullery, D-Newport Township. “This is a place where Eric enjoyed spending time with those he loved and who loved him.”
Mullery said the site embodies what Williams loved most about Pennsylvania — the outdoors.
“Today is a celebration — a celebration of Eric’s life,” Mullery said. “Today is a time to reflect on Eric’s service and commitment to his family, his community, his profession, his Commonwealth and his nation.”
Mullery proposed the idea to dedicate the bridge in the fallen officer’s memory when he learned that Williams lived nearby. He then asked Eric’s parents, Don and Jean Williams, for their approval and they never hesitated.
Mullery said he returned to the bridge and noticed that it was a very short span.
“I began to doubt if this bridge was worthy enough to carry Eric’s name,” Mullery said.
But after learning that Eric fished from the bridge and had lived nearby, Mullery said he knew he made the right call.
State Sen. Lisa Baker, R-Lehman Township, said Williams’ death “was a tragic reminder that there is a sizable group of public protectors who we rarely see, but who hold tough jobs, confront constant risks, and enjoy scant recognition.” She said the men and women who work in federal, state, and local prisons should be recognized more for their hard work and dedication.
“And we should pay more attention to the circumstances under which they work, because they are making a substantial and important contribution to public safety,” Baker said. “When we affix a name to a permanent structure and local landmark, we ensure that the memory of a good man and dedicated public servant lives on. And for those in the years ahead who are unfamiliar with his name, perhaps they will be encouraged to learn about Eric, what he did and what he believed in.”
In July, Gov. Tom Wolf signed a bill into law that renamed the bridge for Williams.
State Sen. John Yudichak, D-Plymouth Township, called Williams a hero.
“The lives of heroes, like Eric Williams, reaffirm my belief that life is a gift and to appreciate that gift we must be willing to serve others,” Yudichak said. “This bridge is a fitting tribute to a remarkable man and a remarkable family.”
Also attending the ceremony were State Rep. Tarah Toohil, R-Butler Township, and Warden Chuck Maiorana of the U.S. Penitentiary at Canaan.
The Rev. James Nash, pastor at St. Faustina Parish in Nanticoke, where the Williams family worship, delivered the invocation and he blessed the bridge at the conclusion of the event.
“We stand in a place where we are surrounded by the beauty of nature and by the memories of Eric Williams,” Nash said.
Don and Jean Williams are working to improve conditions for prison employees. They want more severe penalties for inmates who kill or injure corrections officers.
Williams founded Voices of JOE, a political advocacy group whose primary purpose is to lend a voice to the families of corrections workers as well as corrections workers themselves.
The couple started the group to identify on-the-job safety concerns for corrections workers, promote and support legislation pertaining to safety of corrections workers, and raise awareness of the dangers encountered in working within the prison system.
Don and Jean Williams were in Washington, D.C. earlier this week, attending meetings regarding their effort on behalf of families of fallen prison officers who are pushing for increased safety measures.
The Voices of J.O.E will attend a Capitol Hill forum on Nov. 4 on the topic. Legislation — the Eric Williams Correction Officer Protection Act of 2014 — is moving through Congress and has been included in major criminal justice reform legislation recently unveiled by key senators from both parties.
The legislation would ensure that prison officers have access to potentially lifesaving pepper spray. The forum will also examine staffing ratios at the nation’s prisons and the need for accountability for those who would harm corrections officers.
