Defendant's Alibi Witness Admits She Didn't Leave Work Until After Alleged Craigslist Murder Occurred
By Steve Tawa
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Four days of testimony in the Craigslist murder trial in Philadelphia wrapped up with the defendant's sister providing an alibi, as the bickering picked up between opposing lawyers.
While there is only circumstantial evidence against 25-year old Thomas Coffee in the murder of 27-year old Daniel Cook, Coffee's sister, Shanise Palmer took the stand as the only witness to alibi her brother.
She told jurors that she left the Olive Garden, where she worked, at 10:40 that night, and saw him 20-minutes later parked in his car outside their Willow Grove home.
Cook was shot and killed at 11:10 that night in West Oak Lane.
Prosecutor Guy D'Andrea produced a work record showing she clocked out at 11:22. Defense lawyer Evan Hughes popped up and objected, saying he never saw that document, and complained he was "ambushed" by its production.
While the jury stepped into another room, the two got into a heated argument, and ended with Hughes making an obscene gesture to D'Andrea.
When Palmer returned to the stand, she agreed that she was mistaken, and did leave work at that later time.