During a motion hearing on Thursday, Chatham County Superior Court Judge Tammy Stokes ruled to allow seven pieces of evidence during the upcoming jury trial in the Georgia State vs. Leilani Maree Simonwhile ruling to disallow three pieces of evidence, according to a court proceeding attended by the Savannah Morning News.
The hearing was the latest development in the murder case against Simon, who was indicted by a Chatham County grand jury in December 2022 for the murder of her son, 20-month-old Quinton Simon. Quinton Simon’s remains were found in a county landfill on Nov. 18, 2022, after a nearly six-week search by a team of investigators from multiple agencies. Leilani Simon first reported her son missing on October 5, 2022.
There are 19 charges against Simon, including one charge of malice murder, two charges of murder, one charge of concealing the death of another, one charge of falsely reporting a crime, and 14 charges of making false statements. statements during a crime. police investigation.
More: Jury selection begins in the trial of Leilani Simon, accused of murdering a 20-month-old son
More: The Chatham County Grand Jury indicts Leilani Simon for the murder of Quinton Simon
More: Has Leilani Simon invoked her right to remain silent? Lawyers argue points during the hearing
What evidence did the judge admit?
Among the pieces of evidence Stokes ruled inadmissible included Leilani Simon drinking tequila shots at the popular Tybee Island bar, Sting Ray’s Seafood, about two weeks after she first reported Quinton missing – something Leilani denied when questioned by police investigators. Stokes also ruled inadmissible a video of Leilani talking about her relationship with an ex-boyfriend.
Stokes also ruled not to grant a foreclosure notice filed in Chatham County Magistrate Court by Leilani Simon’s mother, Billie Jo Howell, in early September 2022 to evict Leilani and her then-boyfriend Daniel Youngkin from the Buckhalter Road home. In her ruling, Stokes said she did not find the evidence “intrinsic.”
Stokes decided to include two testimonies from individuals close to Leilani Simon when Quinton went missing, including a former neighbor who believes Leilani Simon committed the murder and another former neighbor who occasionally babysat Quinton.
The two witnesses were questioned by Martin Hilliard, Leilani Simon’s attorney, and directly questioned by Assistant U.S. Attorney and Special Chatham ADA Tim Dean. The two witnesses stated that they saw Simon threaten Quinton and sometimes abuse him. In one case, the witness who babysat testified that Leilani pushed Simon Quinton into a swimming pool and another time on the sidewalk. The other witness stated that she sent a tip from a witness to the police about the case.
Dean argued at the hearing that the evidence showed Simon’s motive and her state of mind, and was therefore relevant to the case. Hilliard, meanwhile, argued that the evidence Dean tried to admit did not prove the counts in the indictment, calling Dean’s efforts a “Hail Mary.”
Jury selection, which began Wednesday, will continue Friday morning.
Drew Favakeh is the public safety and courts reporter for the Savannah Morning News. You can reach him at AFavakeh@Gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Chatham Co Judge Rules Evidence Admissible in Leilani Simon Murder Case
