Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams is going to have to wait a little bit longer to have his day in court.
With the coronavirus pandemic in full swing, Williams will not appear in court on Wednesday at Queens County Criminal Court as originally scheduled, according to NJ.com.
A Queens County Criminal Court spokesperson said the court is operating under adjusted guidelines in response to the pandemic. Cases for people currently in jail are being pushed back 30 days, while cases for people not currently in jail are being delayed 90 days. That means Williams is facing a late June court date at the earliest.
Williams was arrested on March 5 for illegally possessing a handgun at LaGuardia Airport. Gang Green’s second-year defensive lineman was carrying a Glock 19 handgun without a New York license in his check-in bag. The gun, registered in his home state of Alabama, was unloaded and Williams was not in possession of any ammunition.
According to reports citing Port Authority officials, Williams had the gun in his bag when he arrived at the Delta Airlines check-in counter. When the Delta employee responsible for Williams found out about the gun, a license check was made with the Port Authority police. Since Williams’ permit was valid in Alabama, but not New York, he was charged with criminal possession of a weapon.
The 22-year-old was scheduled to be formally charged during his first court appearance on Wednesday. Since he did not have ammunition on him when he was arrested, he cannot be charged with unlawfully possessing a loaded weapon — the same charge that sent former Giants and Jets wide receiver Plaxico Burress to prison for 20 months following an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound at a Manhattan nightclub in 2008.
The Jets selected Williams third overall out of Alabama in the 2019 NFL draft, making him the highest-drafted defensive player in franchise history. The defensive lineman’s rookie season wound up being somewhat of a disappointment, though, as he battled injuries and stretches of inconsistent play throughout 2019. In 13 games, Williams recorded only 28 tackles and 2.5 sacks.
Williams is subject to punishment under the NFL’s personal conduct policy.
