Cape man pleads guilty after judge rules him competent to stand trial

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- The book "Sybil" describes a woman with more than a dozen personalities.

A judge ruled Thursday that Gregory D. Williams has only one.

The Cape Girardeau man experienced what Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle called a "miraculous cure" after a Butler County Judge said he was faking a mental illness and ruled him mentally sound to stand trial for the robbery of three area businesses.

Williams, of 321 Albert St., pleaded guilty to the crimes Thursday at the Butler County Courthouse, where the case was moved on a change of venue.

The guilty plea occurred after a mental competency hearing earlier Thursday morning.

Defense counsel for Williams stipulated that prison officials had seen him reading "Sybil" while Williams was in the Cape Girardeau County Jail.

He told other inmates that he was reading the book, disguised by a homemade white paper jacket, because he planned on faking a mental illness, according to Swingle.

After hearing testimony from the state's witness, Dr. Stephen Courtois, Judge Mark L. Richardson ruled that Williams was malingering, or faking schizophrenia, and was competent to stand trial. Williams then pleaded guilty to the three robbery charges, Swingle said.

Each felony charge carries a sentence of 10 to 30 years. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

Williams admitted to robbing Sally Beauty Supply on Dec. 24, then Payless Shoe Store on Feb. 3 and Dollar General on Feb. 9, all in Cape Girardeau.

Patricia A. Sutton, 46, of Cape Girardeau was found guilty of false imprisonment and first-degree robbery by a Cape Girardeau County jury Nov. 27 for assisting Williams in the robbery of the Dollar General Store where she worked at the time. Sentencing for Sutton has been set for Jan. 22.

bdicosmo@semissourian.com

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