Gay sentenced, erupts in court

William Floyd Gay spent almost seven years in prison for murdering a woman in 1992. He was sentenced Friday to approximately 52 years in prison for knocking a woman's tooth out in August.

Gay, 37, of Bayou George, beat his girlfriend, Sheila Finch, and knocked out a front tooth with a punch to the face. It happened nine months after his release in November 1999 from a prison sentence for second-degree murder. In that case, he stabbed to death his then-girlfriend, Melissa Judith Ford, on March 8, 1992.

Gay was convicted last month of aggravated battery in Finch's case and his sentencing was postponed until Friday to give attorneys time to prepare. Assistant State Attorney Bill Lewis meant to prove that Gay fell into two categories that would increase the amount of time he could serve in prison.

"Yesterday was the ninth anniversary of Judy Ford's death," Lewis told Circuit Judge Dedee Costello before she passed sentence.

"Why do you keep bringin' that up?" Gay interrupted, raising his voice at Lewis. "This ain't got nothin' to do with Judy Ford. Don't you think I have to live with that every damn day of my life, too?"

Costello had bailiffs remove Gay from the courtroom for a few minutes to let him calm down. He was brought back in and told to remain calm and quiet until given a chance to respond.

Lewis continued, saying he thought it was important the judge take into account Gay's violent past.

"He's a poster child for domestic violence," Lewis said. "When things don't go his way, he flares up and people frequently get hurt. One of them died."

He said the state set up stiffer sentences for people who pose a threat to society, such as Habitual Violent Felony Offenders and Prison Releasee Reoffenders - both categories Costello determined related to Gay. "(Gay) is exactly the type of person society needs to be protected from," Lewis said.

Costello sentenced Gay to 15 years as a Prison Releasee Reoffender, which he'll have to serve day-for-day. She then sentenced him to 30 years - doubling the maximum sentenced for aggravated battery - as a Habitual Violent Felony Offender. Gay will have to serve at least 85 percent of that.

She ran the sentences concurrently with each other, but consecutively to a 22-year prison sentence she'd given Gay for violating the terms of his probation by punching Finch.

The three sentences have three different requirements. Without adjustment, they add up to 52 years, but there are many potential adjustments.

On the 22-year sentence, Gay was given credit for the seven years he'd served and the 107 days he'd spent in jail until that sentence. Because the offense he was on probation for happened in 1992, that term falls under 1992 "gain time" requirements that may reduce it by half. Gain time was the old system whereby prisoners were given significant time off for good behavior. It wasn't unusual for second-degree murderers to serve seven years in prison under gain time.

It was eliminated in 1995 and felony offenders now serve at least 85 percent of their sentence.

Taking gain time, prison credit and jail credit into account in Gay's case, he may end up serving around seven of the 22 years on that sentence. Then the 15- and 30-year terms begin. Once he completes the day-for-day, 15-year sentence he'll have about 101/2 years left on the 30-year sentence.

All total, he's facing about 33 years with good behavior. All of that is subject to Department of Corrections review and consideration, and could change over time.

Gay maintained his innocence on both the murder and aggravated battery. He said he was "railroaded" in both cases and that the murder was an accident. He blamed his angry outbursts in court to facing prison for something he didn't do.

"I'm being railroaded straight back to prison and (Lewis) wants me to sit here and be Mr. Good Boy," Gay said. "I'm the one going to prison for something I ain't done, not you."