Mikey Williams’ trial for nine felony gun charges to take place on Dec. 14

Memphis basketball signee Mikey Williams appeared in court for the second time this month Friday afternoon.

The San Diego Union-Tribune reported several new developments from Williams’ latest court outing, including Puma ending its historic endorsement deal with the 4-star recruit and Williams’ trial concerning his nine gun-related felony charges being tentatively set for Dec. 14.

Williams’ charges stem from an incident at his (San Diego, Calif.) home back in March. The 6-foot-3 guard allegedly shot at a moving car filled with six people—including three minors—as it was driving away from the house. If convicted, he could possibly spend up to 30 years in state prison. His charge count increased from six to nine during a court proceeding Tuesday, in which Williams appeared virtually via Microsoft Teams. He was ordered to appear in-person Friday given the severity of his charges.

The 19-year-old was also ordered during Friday’s appearance to refrain from making social media posts regarding his legal issues. Shortly after being ordered to trial on Oct. 10, Williams posted a news clip from the hearing with a caption containing lyrics from the song, “Ah Never Be the Same” by Rylo Rodriguez. The caption specifically read: “Say the judge and DA ******’ with his head, just stay afloat.” The song’s explicit lyrics frequently bring up topics like shooting and killing. Williams’ post has since been deleted.

Deputy District Attorney George Modlin argued Friday that Williams’ bail should be increased from $50,000 to $500,000 based off the latter’s recent social media activity.

“The fact that he chose this specific song and the nature of this song echoes greatly, especially since we’re dealing with possible witness intimidation and tampering,” Modlin said. “This song deals with a gentleman who will shoot people up and dissuade people from testifying. We are dealing with a case in which Mr. Williams is alleged to have fired anywhere from six to seven shots at a nearby vehicle that was filled with six people. It talks about all they had to do is stay at home and keep their mouth shut.”

Judge Kathleen Lewis declined to increase Williams’ bail, but still admonished him for the posts.

Where Memphis Currently Stands with Williams

Memphis Athletics released a statement regarding Williams’ legal troubles last month.

“While Mikey Williams is enrolled in online classes at the University of Memphis and remains on the roster, he will not have access to team-related facilities or activities until his pending legal process in California is complete,” the statement reads in part. “The process to assess and determine his status with the team will be initiated at that time.”

Despite the statement, however, Memphis head coach Penny Hardaway maintains his endorsement of Williams. He most recently talked to reporters about the situation Wednesday afternoon.

“This young man is obviously going through something and he hasn’t been found guilty of anything,” Hardaway said. “So, we just have to continue to support him.”

The Tigers begin exhibition play Sunday against Lane College, and will then host Jackson State for their regular season opener on Nov. 6.