In the early hours of a Sunday morning in July 2017, a dispute that began inside a Pittston bar spilled out into the street, leaving one man dead and another facing a homicide charge. Christopher Ryan Williams, a 32-year-old male from Pittston, was shot and killed on July 9, 2017, outside Saints & Sinners Irish Pub. The incident was reportedly sparked by a refusal to shake hands, a gesture that quickly escalated into a fatal confrontation.
The man accused of the shooting was 30-year-old
Stephen Jamal Spencer. According to police, the altercation began after a witness with Williams declined to shake Spencer's hand. Testimony during a preliminary hearing pointed to racial tensions as a factor in the dispute. Witnesses recounted that after the initial disagreement, both parties exited the bar. Shortly after, Spencer allegedly fired a single shot, which struck Williams in the chest. Williams was rushed to Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center, where he died from his injuries.
When police arrived at the scene, they found Spencer with a gun in his hand. He reportedly told officers, 'Here is the gun. I shot him.' Spencer was taken into custody and charged with criminal homicide, simple assault, and terroristic threats. He was subsequently jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility without bail.
During the legal proceedings that followed, Spencer's attorney argued that his client acted in self-defense. The defense claimed that Spencer, who had a valid permit to carry a firearm, retreated and defended himself during the confrontation. The prosecution, however, contended that Spencer had a duty to retreat and that the shooting was not an act of self-defense. In October 2018, after a trial and four hours of deliberation, a jury acquitted Stephen Spencer of all charges, including homicide, aggravated assault, and terroristic threats. He was released from prison after spending 453 days in custody. His defense attorney stated that the case stemmed from 'ugly racism.'
