Leilani Simon goes to court ahead of October trial in toddler’s killing
SAVANNAH, Ga. - Leilani Simon, the former Burke County resident accused of killing her toddler Quinton and discarding his body in a dumpster, made an appearance in court on Friday.
Lawyers are arguing what evidence should be itted in trial.
Prosecutors laid out seven exhibits of evidence they want to use.
They say it includes text messages, statements, and phone data that shows what was going on in Simon’s life around the time of Quinton’s death.
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Prosecutors said the evidence details relationship issues between Simon and her boyfriend at the time, plus accusations of physical violence.
They say it shows what was going on in the mother’s life around the time of her son Quinton’s death.
“We have alleged that she killed her son in the middle of the night. Okay? That is a heck of a thing to say about a mother,” said Timothy Dean, Prosecutor.
Prosecutor Timothy Dean introduced statements from Simon’s longtime friend, “who will testify about the defendant’s feelings toward Quinton’s father and, by extension, Quinton.”
He also asked the judge to consider videos, text messages, and interviews that he says show Simon and her boyfriend at the time having relationship difficulties.
Prosecutors want statements from Quinton’s babysitter itted, saying the babysitter “had some information to provide an instance of actual physical violence.”
Simon’s lawyers pushed back saying these personal details should not be issible because they’re irrelevant to the charges Simon faces.
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“The state’s offering it just to make her look unstable and bad in front of the jury. That’s all it’s about. It has nothing to do with what the state has alleged. It’s simply not probative of the real issues in the case,” said Robert Persse, Leilani Simon’s Lawyer.
Prosecutors pleaded with the judge, saying it’s vital to their case.
“We have alleged that she killed her son in the middle of the night. Okay? That is a heck of a thing to say about a mother. In order to make our case, we need to be allowed to put on evidence of these intrinsic factors, things that were going on in her life at the time even if some of them might be unsavory or unfavorable to her in one degree or another,” said Timothy Dean, Prosecutor.
Judge Tammy Stokes did not make a ruling Friday. She did, however, rule just days ago to deny the defense’s motion to quash some of the charges Simon faces.
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The next hearing in this case is set for next month before an expected Oct. 9 trial date.
At the time of Quinton’s death, Leilani Simon was on probation out of Burke County over the burglary of $50 in coins. She said her child’s father had convinced her to enter a neighbor,’s camper and steal the money from a coin jar. He reportedly needed her to do it because he couldn’t fit through the window.
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