Defense confronts lead detective Dujuan Garris case

By D.C. Witness Staff - March 28, 2017
Court | Homicides | Suspects |

As Dujuan Garris’ trial continued Monday, defense attorney’s pressed the lead detective.

The defense argues that the lead detective Paris White had important information that he chose not to disclose.

White received an email from an officer that there were additional people of interest involved in the shooting of James Anderson, and White chose not to share the information until January 2017.

When asked why he waited so long by the defense attorneys he said he simply “made a mistake.”

White said he tried to email the prosecutors the information and the email “bounced back.”

Defense attorney Eugene Uhm said that he wasn’t “buying” the response, and suggested White could have “printed out” the email and gave it to the government.

Uhm accused White of violating Garris’ “constitutional rights” by choosing not to turn over the information.

White responded by saying if he was trying to “violate” someone’s constitutional rights he wouldn’t have “turned it in” at all.

The government brought forth Lashawn Coates to testify in court regarding the case. Coates is the older sister of Jaquan Coates who was friends with Anderson, and was with him when the shooting occurred.

When asked by the government to describe what happened that night, Coates said she heard gunfire when she approached her house. She said she also noticed that someone was moving “fast” out of the alley from her house.

Coates said that her brother told her to walk around the house because there was a dead body in their front door.

During cross examination, White said Jaquan Coates confirmed with the police that Garris was the one who shot Anderson.

Garris is still being held without bond, and the trial resumes on Tuesday.