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.
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.
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.)