Court-appointed defense attorney Katherine Whitney argued at a pretrial conference before District Court Judge Todd Plewe on Thursday, Dec. 18, that her client\u2019s DNA evidence should not be presented to jurors. Whitney said prosecutors had yet to provide the forensics evidence to the defense on the eve of trial. The two-week jury trial is set to start Jan. 20.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe prosecution is sitting on the evidence,\u201d said Whitney.<\/p>\n
Whitney, who represents Christopher Collins, 34, indicated she would file an official defense motion to bar the forensics evidence. The defendant was required to submit his DNA seven months ago after his arrest in May. Collins faces multiple counts of sexual assault.<\/p>\n
At last week\u2019s proceedings, the court granted the defense a green light to subpoena telephone records between the defendant and the alleged victim. Whitney said the records would show that her client was innocent.<\/p>\n
The court, however, rejected a renewed defense request to examine investigative notes made by a caseworker in a related child neglect case. Plewe denied the request, citing the defense failed to show the requested documents even existed.<\/p>\n
Collins remains in custody under a $100,000 bond.<\/p>\n