U.S. District Judge J. Michael Seabright had harsh words on Tuesday for the government and the stepmother of 5-year-old child abuse murder victim Talia Williams.

Seabright told Delilah Williams, 30, that after listening to her testimony about how she tortured and beat Talia, and the manner in which she described the beatings, he thinks the prosecutor’s description of her as “wicked” was an understatement. He said “evil” was a more apt description.

Delilah Williams was in court for her sentencing of 20 years in prison — including nine years already served — the result of a plea agreement for her testimony that she and her husband, former soldier Naeem Williams, routinely inflicted savage beatings on the child.  

Seabright sentenced Delilah Williams for the murder of her stepdaughter as a pattern and practice of torture and abuse.

Seabright also said on Tuesday that the government will have to answer the question of why it took Naeem Williams to trial to seek the death penalty, after the U.S. Attorney here said a life prison term was appropriate in the wake of jurors not being able to reach a unanimous verdict on his fate.

The government promised Delilah Williams the 20-year sentence in return for her guilty plea and testimony against her husband.

Naeem Williams, 34, will be sentenced to a life prison term in October.