The second week of testimony is underway in the Xandria Harris murder trial, which is expected to be the final week of the trial ending this Friday. Harris faces charges of first-degree murder, attempted murder, and child endangerment. She is accused of helping her then-boyfriend Darius Sullivan in the December 2021 Bradley Police shooting, which resulted in the death of Sergeant Marlene Rittmanic and the severe wounding of Officer Tyler Bailey. Meanwhile, three jurors have been dismissed so far, leaving only three alternates left.
The prosecution has now rested its case. Before the defense called their first witness to the stand, Harris’ attorney Cierra Norris filed a directed verdict motion saying the state didn’t provide enough evidence for the jury to deliberate in the case. Judge Kathy Bradshaw-Elliott denied the motion.
The defense then called its first witness, Kyle Buente, a dispatcher for KanComm who was working the night of the deadly shooting. The dispatcher testified that Officer Bailey was the first to arrive at the hotel that night and asked him to run background information on both Harris and Sullivan. The dispatcher also testified that multiple arrest warrants showed up for Sullivan when running a background check on him.
The defense progressed to its fourth witness, Harris’ brother Xavier, who picked her up at the hotel the night of the shooting. During the prosecution’s cross-examination, Xavier testified that Xandria called him the night of the shooting crying and asked him to pick her up. He then drove her to Darius Sullivan’s mother’s house in DeMotte, Indiana.
Xavier admitted he had pled guilty to obstruction of justice because he lied to police about her whereabouts after the shooting to protect his sister. He originally told police he had dropped her off at his mom’s house in Bradley or that she may have been at an aunt’s house in Kankakee. Police also searched Xavier’s car in the early morning hours of December 30th, 2021, and found a bag with a gun in it. Xavier told police he didn’t know where it came from and didn’t answer when asked if he’d had anyone other than Xandria and her kids in the car the night of the shooting.