A forensic scientist testified during July 16 proceedings in a murder trial.
Nyekemia Everett, 35, and Malik Hewitt, 41, are charged with first-degree murder while armed in the shooting of 37-year-old Christopher Heard on the 2300 block of Ainger Place, SE, on April 27, 2017. The prosecution alleges that the two defendants plotted to rob and kill Heard, who was selling the drug PCP to make money after having recently been released from jail. They allege that Everett shot Heard, while Hewitt acted as the getaway driver.
The prosecution called forward a forensic biology analyst from Bode Technology, who testified that the presumptive test she conducted on a jacket worn by one of the defendants tested positive for having blood on it.
During cross-examination, the defense questioned the test’s reliability since it was presumptive. They asked questions specifically about the process, her direct role, if there was a possibility that the test could come back as a false positive and if the blood may have belonged to an animal.
Judge Neal Kravitz said the prosecution will finish their case on July 19.
