The saga of court detainee Anthony Derek Williams' recent mistaken release from the O'ahu Community Correctional Center is an example of tracking problems that can arise within the existing paperwork-laden, multi-agency system to get criminals from the police cellblock to court appearances and finally to trial.

Williams, 48, was set free Monday from OCCC after returning from District Court for a contempt warrant with paperwork ordering him to be released to appear at court at a later date.

Unknown at the time was that Williams had been ordered held on a burglary charge. The paperwork had been sent to OCCC on Sept. 24 and placed in a "not in custody" file because he wasn't at the facility on that date, state Department of Public Safety spokeswoman Louise Kim McCoy said. Between his burglary and contempt warrant arrest, Williams was also charged with a drug offense.

Complicating matters further in this case, Williams was twice taken to the hospital complaining of illness and forcing court appearances to be continued.

In the aftermath of last month's mistaken release of fugitive Eric Ison Jones at District Court due to a paperwork issue, the Williams case is prompting the state Department of Public Safety to review current procedures.

"We recognize there are discrepancies we need to shore up," McCoy said, "and we'll work toward improving communications between different agencies and also within our own system. We'll be looking at everything to see how we can make it better."

Williams' criminal record includes 21 convictions.

For the record, the Hawai'i Criminal Justice Data Center lists eight different men with the name Anthony Williams, ranging in age from 28 to 58.