Sioux City Journal

Defense again seeks delay in Harris trial

By Molly Montag
mmontag@siouxcityjournal.com | Posted: Saturday, January 10, 2009

SIOUX CITY -- For the second time this week, a judge has been asked to delay a murder trial set to begin Tuesday.

Woodbury County Public Defender Michael Williams on Friday filed court documents asking District Court Judge James D. Scott to reconsider a ruling he issued Thursday denying a joint prosecution-defense request to delay Lawrence Douglas Harris' trial.

Harris, 26, of Sioux City, faces two counts of first-degree murder in the Jan. 6, 2008, deaths of his two stepdaughters, Kendra Suing, 10, and Alysha Suing, 8. Harris told police the girls died while he was casting a spell that "had gone bad."

Harris' attorneys have indicated they plan to use an insanity defense.

Williams wrote in Friday's court filings that failing to delay the trial to allow time to receive and review information connected with Harris' psychiatric evaluation would violate his client's right to due process.

Specifically, Williams is asking for more time to review handwritten notes Dr. Tracy Gunter, an expert witness for the state, made while interviewing Harris for a forensic evaluation at Iowa Medical and Classification Center in Oakdale.

According to the documents filed Friday, Williams was also unable to complete a deposition of Gunter, an associate professor at St. Louis University School of Medicine in Missouri, and expects another four hours would be needed.

Although state prosecutors joined Williams in Wednesday's request for a delay, they were not part of the request filed Friday.

Scott hasn't ruled on Friday's request or scheduled a hearing on it.

Story Comments

otis wrote on Jan 10, 2009 10:32 AM:

" Ya, hes CRAZY Get on with the trial. "

Insanity wrote on Jan 10, 2009 10:02 AM:

" This just goes to show how lawyers, liars and lawmakers have done every attempt to destroy the legal system. This two bit ambulance chasing public defender and his insanity plea is about a joke. If Harris was not insane the two little girls would be just getting back to school from Chrismas break instead of rotting away in a 6 foot grave! Stop the lawyer lies and strap this freak in the chair and slowly add voltage until he looks well done! Stop the perception and get to reality! "

secondstringer wrote on Jan 10, 2009 9:17 AM:

" Hats off to the Court for rejecting ANOTHER delay of this trial. This case has been pending for over 1 year. Whatever happened to a speedy trial....not only for the Defendant but for the victims and their families. How long
does it take to prepare for trial? Why is
the State not pushing this instead of joining in further delays of the trial?
Remember the old adage: JUSTICE
DELAYED IS JUSTICE DENIED? It
fits squarely with this case...now heading into YEAR No. 2 and still pending! This will go on until the Court
puts an end to it. "

Jody wrote on Jan 10, 2009 5:39 AM:

" they need to get on with the trial and the insanity plea is just pathetic in my opinion they should go back to bible times where its an eye for an eye . tbe mother has suffered enough . harris did it for a reason it may never be found out why but delaying the trial is just stupid "