LEGAL COMMENTARY & MEDIA

A Prosecutor's Perspective.
A Defender's Instinct.

Nathan S. Williams is a South Carolina federal criminal defense attorney and former Assistant U.S. Attorney who served as Criminal Chief for the District of South Carolina. He offers legal commentary grounded in firsthand experience on both sides of the federal courtroom — available to print, broadcast, and digital media on short notice.

Phone: (843) 473-700
Email: nathan@scfederaldefense

Credentials

Former Assistant U.S. Attorney

District of South Carolina — federal prosecution experience across the full range of criminal matters.

Former Criminal Chief

Led the criminal division of the U.S. Attorney's Office in South Carolina, overseeing complex federal prosecutions statewide.

Federal Death Penalty Case

Prosecutor of a high-profile federal capital case, Dylann Roof, the Charleston Church shooter, currently on death row, among the most complex matters in federal practice.

SC Federal Defense

Founder of a boutique firm focused exclusively on criminal matters in South Carolina.

Prior Media Appearances

Nathan Williams has provided on-the-record legal commentary for national and regional media covering federal criminal matters and South Carolina legal affairs.

Channel 5 Charleston
January 2025

Discussed the potential for pardons and dismissals for January 6 defendants and the current status of January 6 federal prosecutions.

The Washington Post
February 2023

Discuss current practices and policies of the United States Department of Justice and how it applies to the federal death penalty.

MSNBC
November 2022

Insights on the Colorado Springs mass shooting and the defendant’s use of a binary pronoun.

NTD Evening News
August 2022

Federal prisoner swaps, specifically the national case of American basketball player Brittney Griner.

The Washington Post
July 2022

Current approaches the Justice Department uses in applying the federal death penalty.

The State Newspaper
March 2022

Nathan Williams, a federal prosecutor for Dylann Roof’s case, announces new private practice.

Areas of Commentary

Available to comment on federal criminal matters, South Carolina courts, and high-profile cases including:

  • Federal Criminal Procedure and Strategy

  • Prosecutorial Strategy and Retrial Dynamics

  • South Carolina Courts and Practice

  • Jury Selection and Jury Tampering

  • White Collar and Financial Crimes

  • High-Profile Criminal Trials

  • Evidentiary Rulings and Appellate Standards

  • Criminal Sentencing and Appeals

  • Criminal Trial Timelines and Expectations in South Carolina

CURRENT COVERAGE

The Murdaugh Retrial

The South Carolina Supreme Court's unanimous 2026 ruling overturning Alex Murdaugh's murder convictions raises significant legal questions that will play out over the coming year, on jury tampering standards, the proper scope of financial crimes evidence, and retrial strategy for both sides.

As a former South Carolina federal prosecutor and United States Attorney’s Office Criminal Chief, Nathan S. Williams offers informed, on-the-record commentary throughout the retrial process. Available for immediate response to breaking developments.

Book for Commentary

Broadcast & Podcast

Available for live and taped segments on short notice. Experienced on camera across national and regional broadcast formats.

Call: (843) 473-7000

Print & Digital

Available as an on-the-record source for journalists covering federal criminal matters and South Carolina courts.

Email: nathan@scfederaldefense.com