CONVICTED MAN SAYS RACE WAS A FACTOR 229-YEAR PRISON TERM POSSIBLE.

Byline: Karen Maeshiro Staff Writer

PALMDALE - An ex-convict facing 229 years in prison says he believes his prosecution is racially motivated because he was living with a white woman and her white roommate.

Leonard Williams, a 46-year-old African-American man convicted of threatening his girlfriend and her children, says a sheriff's deputy told him: ``This is redneck territory. This is Klancaster. Who do you think you are living with two white women?''

``Me and Beverly are an interracial couple. There were a lot of racial statements made the night I was arrested. They were hidden from the judge,'' Williams said in a telephone interview from the Peter J. Pitchess Detention Center. ``The case is due to racism. Once they got involved, they had to find something to take me to jail for.''

On Feb. 22 a Lancaster jury convicted Williams of making terrorist threats against his girlfriend, Beverly Juniel, and her three children last October following an argument. Because of prior convictions for assault, kidnapping, attempted robbery and robbery, he faces up to 229 years in prison under the state's ``three strikes, you're out'' law.

The couple, who met two years ago and corresponded while Williams was imprisoned in Tehachapi, say they will marry. They wanted to get married at Williams' sentencing March 26 but were told it was forbidden by court policy.

``He's a good man. All he needs is a chance to get straight and get used to being out here. He could be a great provider,'' Juniel said. ``I never tried to press charges against Leonard. I was never scared of Leonard. The D.A. picked this up and ran with it.''

According to police reports, Williams left their home following an argument in which he punched his fist into a wall. He returned and found that deputies had been called, officials said.

Slapping an open palm with his fist, the prosecution said, he asked who had called sheriff's deputies and then said, ``Whichever one of you ... called is going to pay tonight.''

Williams and Juniel in an interview last week denied he said that. They said deputies misconstrued and twisted what witnesses told them.

Williams said he asked, ``Who called the ... police,'' and then said whoever called was ``going to pay for this ....'' Williams said he hit his palm with a fist one time.

Prosecutors and sheriff's officials said race had nothing to do with the case, and that the prosecution was initiated not by law enforcement officers but by Juniel. They denied that deputies made any racial comments, adding that neither Williams or Juniel had previously mentioned them.

Deputy D.A. Daviann Mitchell said Juniel called 911 after Williams left their home. A transcript of the 911 tape shows Juniel saying she and her children were frightened, Mitchell said.

``The jury had all the evidence presented to them. It was ultimately a decision they made. They did not believe Beverly Juniel's testimony. They believed her initial statements to the officers, and the 911 tapes,'' Mitchell said.

Mitchell said the children's testimony was inconsistent with Juniel's testimony. ``Her kids did attribute those statements to him. The children confirmed everybody was crying. One child described (Juniel) as being hysterical over the incident,'' Mitchell said.

Detective Brian Dunn said Juniel tried everything she could in court to recant her original statements. That is typical in domestic violence cases, he said.

In most domestic violence cases, victims call authorities, then begin to contemplate the ramifications - losing a loved one, an income, children losing a father or friend, Dunn said.

``And after they thought over that, a common practice they'll do is what they call a recant, start trying to come to the defense of the defendant,'' Dunn said.

Williams said he would never harm Juniel or her children.

``The kids took the witness stand, and each one of the kids said they were not in fear for their safety and their lives. They were only crying because their mother was crying that night,'' Williams said. ``To convict me of terrorist threats, the element of fear has to be there. The element of fear was never there. Whatever happened that night never rose to the dignity of a felony.''

Juniel said she called 911 because Williams said he was going to take her car but hung up when she realized what contacting the police would mean for Williams. A 911 operator then called her back, she said.