Lawyer: Man Denies Involvement In Killing Of Houston Girl

HOUSTON (CBSDFW.COM/AP) — A lawyer for a man accused in a drive-by shooting that killed a 7-year-old Houston girl says he denies any involvement in the attack.

Jazmine Barnes, a 7-year-old Texas girl, was shot and killed after an unknown man opened fire on the car with her family inside. (credit: CBS News)

Attorney Lisa Andrews said after a court hearing Thursday that her client, Larry D. Woodruffe, says he wasn't in the SUV that opened fire on the car carrying Jazmine Barnes, her sisters and mother on Dec. 30.

Larry D. Woodruffe - charged with capital murder in death of Jazmine Barnes (Harris County Sheriff's Dept.)

Andrews filed a motion seeking to have Woodruffe's trial moved out of Houston, saying social media posts and comments investigators have made could prevent him from getting a fair trial in the city. Prosecutors called the motion premature.

Prosecutors have filed capital murder charges against Woodruffe and the man suspected of driving the SUV.

Witnesses had described the shooter as a white man driving a red pickup truck, prompting concerns by the family and activists that Jazmine's death was a hate crime.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said he believes the initial description was sincere and the man in the red truck was likely a bystander who left the scene of the shooting.

A tip led to the arrests of the two defendants, who are both black.

(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

Read more
f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.