Opinion ID: 1465616
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Harris's Version

Text: Harris testified that he moved in with Ms. McLeod and her mother and son in 1992 and that he and Ms. McLeod became engaged in September, 1995. During that period, he obtained four handguns, including a Glock 19 nine mm. gun which proved to be the murder weapon. Concerned about having those weapons in the home with Ms. McLeod's nine-year-old son, he decided to sell them. On January 25, 1996, the day before the murder, Harris said that he sold the Glock to Mr. Brill, whom he had met earlier that month. Brill did not have the purchase money at the time, so they arranged to meet the next evening at Violet Lil Park. [1] He and Ms. McLeod went to the park on the evening of the 26th for that purpose. While they waited in the parked car for Brill to appear, a man, whom he did not recognize but told the police was an African-American, approached, pointed a gun at him, and directed him to get out of the car, which he did. After the gunman relieved Harris of his money, he ordered Ms. McLeod out of the car and demanded her purse. She threw her purse into the air and started to run, at which point the gunman shot at her and at Harris, striking him once in the leg. Harris said that he lost sight of Ms. McLeod and initially assumed that she had escaped. Using his cell phone, Harris called 911. While he waited for help, a bystander approached, saw Ms. McLeod lying on the ground, and advised that she was not moving, at which point Harris said he began to cry. [2] Eventually, the police arrived and found Ms. McLeod dead and Harris angry and in pain from his wound. He told them that a black male, tall, thin, and wearing a camouflage jacket and black and white pants, had robbed and shot him and Ms. McLeod. The officers observed Ms. McLeod's purse, containing about $48, near where her body lay. She was also wearing jewelry, including a Gucci watch, a gold ring with seven diamonds, a gold wedding band with four diamonds, and gold earrings. In Harris's car they discovered a magazine (bullet-holder) containing eight bullets. Harris was excited but not crying. A search of the area revealed no African-American (or any other) suspects.