With sharp questions about information missing from a key police report, a defense attorney sowed doubt Thursday about a California City police officer’s investigation of the December 2020 disappearance of
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With sharp questions about information missing from a key police report, a defense attorney sowed doubt Thursday about a California City police officer’s investigation of the December 2020 disappearance of two toddlers.
Attorney Alekxia Torres Stallings, representing the toddlers’ adoptive mother, Jacqueline West, worked to poke holes in California City Police Officer Brian Hansen’s police report documenting his investigation on Dec. 21, 2020, the day West and her husband, Trezell West, reported that Orrin West, 4, and his brother Orson, 3, were missing.
Hansen testified previously that he drove around the Wests’ neighborhood in California City on Dec. 21, 2020 to see if other residences had video cameras affixed to their houses. This footage could help to corroborate Trezell West’s statements about relating to actions taken after the boys went missing.
Torres Stallings asked Hansen about a home on Harvard Street that Hansen testified he visited to watch footage under direct examination by Prosecutor Eric Smith. Hansen said he never divulged this information raised in his prior testimony, including on March 9.
Hansen had maintained there were two houses with video cameras to review, according to testimony. But, Hansen testified, there are actually three videos.
“So were you lying to court on March 9, 2023 or are you lying to the jury now?” Torres Stallings asked.
“Neither,” Hansen responded.
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Additional details at link. ~Summer