Harris' lawyers to get stepson's court file
10:48 AM
By Dolly A. Butzdbutz@siouxcityjournal.com | Posted: Tuesday, December 02, 2008
SIOUX CITY -- A Woodbury County District Court judge ruled today that a juvenile court file concerning the brother of Kendra and Alysha Suing be released to Lawrence Douglas Harris' defense team.
In a motion filed Nov. 19, attorneys for Harris asked that all information in the care, custody or control of Juvenile Court Services concerning the girls' brother be divulged so a forensic psychiatrist can review it.
Harris, 26, who was not present at the hearing, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder for the Jan. 6 stabbing and strangulation deaths of his stepdaughters. His attorneys say they will use an insanity defense at his Jan. 13 trial.
Dan Watson, supervisor for Juvenile Court Services, testified in court today that although some of the information in the file is confidential, under court order, he said, the entire file can be released.
District Court Judge James Scott sustained the defense's motion.
Assistant Woodbury County Attorney Mark Campbell asked Scott to either strike retired FBI profiler Mark Safarik from the defense's witness list or allow prosecutors to depose him.
Williams told Scott he hasn't decided whether Safarik will be called to testify at trial because Safarik hasn't reviewed case materials and arrived at an opinion. Securing fees to pay his potential witness is an issue, according to Williams.
Scott said he will impose a deadline and address the issue of cost in a separate ruling.
Defense attorneys also requested more time to complete their witness list. Scott overruled the motion and told Williams that he must give his witnesses' contact information to Campbell by Friday.
In a motion filed Nov. 19, attorneys for Harris asked that all information in the care, custody or control of Juvenile Court Services concerning the girls' brother be divulged so a forensic psychiatrist can review it.
Harris, 26, who was not present at the hearing, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder for the Jan. 6 stabbing and strangulation deaths of his stepdaughters. His attorneys say they will use an insanity defense at his Jan. 13 trial.
Dan Watson, supervisor for Juvenile Court Services, testified in court today that although some of the information in the file is confidential, under court order, he said, the entire file can be released.
District Court Judge James Scott sustained the defense's motion.
Assistant Woodbury County Attorney Mark Campbell asked Scott to either strike retired FBI profiler Mark Safarik from the defense's witness list or allow prosecutors to depose him.
Williams told Scott he hasn't decided whether Safarik will be called to testify at trial because Safarik hasn't reviewed case materials and arrived at an opinion. Securing fees to pay his potential witness is an issue, according to Williams.
Scott said he will impose a deadline and address the issue of cost in a separate ruling.
Defense attorneys also requested more time to complete their witness list. Scott overruled the motion and told Williams that he must give his witnesses' contact information to Campbell by Friday.
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