DISCLAIMER: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
HOUMA, La. (WGNO) — After the body of two-year-old Ezekiel Harry was found in a garbage can earlier this year, the Terrebonne Parish District Attorney’s Office has announced prosecutors will seek the death penalty for the child’s mother and her boyfriend.
On Tuesday (Oct. 12), Maya Jones and Jermaine Robinson appeared in court for the first time for a pre-trial hearing in the case of Harry’s death. Together, Jones’ and Robinson’s defense attorneys filed a total of 33 motions — most of which were deferred to be discussed at another pre-trial hearing on December 9.
Both the state and the judge claimed it was too soon to make a decision on many of the motions, given not everyone has had an opportunity to go through all the evidence. This could potentially include video released by the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office, which shows Jones handling a black duffle bag, believed to be the same bag the child’s body was later discovered in.
The courtroom was flooded with family members of the toddler on Tuesday, including his father who was visibly upset throughout the entire hearing. Jones’ head hung low and Robinson remained expressionless.
Jones and Robinson are accused of killing the child, then disposing of his body in a garbage can back in July. In August, the two were formally charged with the child’s death.
A new trial date has been set for March 20.
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