Hearing focuses on alleged mistress of fallen Deputy Goforth
HOUSTON (KTRK) -- We have new information about the man accused of killing Harris County Sheriff's Deputy Darren Goforth. Shannon Miles has kept jail staff busy but he stayed out of public view during the latest hearing in the deputy's murder case Monday morning.
The lawyer for Shannon Miles, who is suspected in the shooting that killed Goforth, wants investigators to turn over all the documents on the woman who witnessed the shooting -- Goforth's alleged mistress -- in order to downgrade murder charges against his client.
Miles himself did not appear in court at the request of his attorney, Anthony Osso. Osso said it was for Miles' safety.
The defense seeks to prove that Goforth was going to meet the woman at the gas station the night he was murdered and was not on duty with the Harris County Sheriff's Office.
Attorneys on both sides agreed not to share information with the public so as not to compromise the case.
"We have to go through and piece that together and put the puzzle together as to who did what, when they did it, who talked to whom, who transported whom, many of those things," said Charles Brown, one of Miles' attorneys.
The DA's office says it's working to get all information to Miles' attorney as quickly as possible.
"We have no dispute. We'll be handing over documents, giving them the information they were seeking as soon as we get them," said Marcy McCorvey with the DA's office. "It's a long investigation. Obviously it takes time to get the information to turn it over and we are doing that."
"The problem is there's so many people involved. We'll find out if there's resistance (from the DA) after all the supplements are turned in," said Charles Brown, one of Miles' defense attorneys.
Bad Jail Behavior?
Among the evidence the defense has requested is Miles' jail records during his stay at the Harris County jail on Baker Street in downtown Eyewitness News has learned jail staff has had to respond to his cell on the second floor several times because of his behavior. On at least one occasion, sources say Miles has kicked out the lights in his cell. He was also found lying on the floor as if he weren't breathing. Sources also tell Eyewitness News the jail SWAT team known as the "containment team" has been called in to intervene.
"They essentially swarm the person, stop his movement and literally contain him or her until they can't move or can't hurt anybody," explained Pat McCann, a criminal defense attorney not involved in the Miles' case.
In response to Miles jail behavior, his lead lawyer, Anthony Osso, said, "He has an ongoing history of mental illness. I would expect there would be behavior out of the ordinary."
Miles has been found incompetent to stand trial on a previous criminal charge. He has not undergone a psychiatric evaluation yet related to the charge of killing Deputy Goforth.
Miles is due back in court on December 9. All information is expected to be distributed by then.
