A March 20 shootout at a Brainerd gas station was played out on the big screen at General Sessions Court on Tuesday.
A new video system was recently installed at the court. In the past, attorneys and the judge had to huddle around a laptop computer when videos were used as evidence. With the new system, everyone in the courtroom can watch.
At the close of the testimony in the attempted murder of 26-year-old David Franklin, Judge David Bales bound charges to the Grand Jury against 20-year-old Darrius Harris.
He raised the bond for attempted first-degree murder from $150,000 to $600,000. Harris, who was out on bond from an aggravated robbery case in Criminal Court, is also charged with felony reckless endangerment, felony reckless driving, leaving the scene of an accident, possession of drugs for resale (heroin/meth) and possession of drug paraphernalia.
The video began at 2:50 a.m., showing numerous people coming in and out of the store. Among those were both Harris and Franklin.
The shots rang out at 3:04 a.m. Courtroom spectators could see weapons waved outside car windows and the flash of gunfire. There were two shooters in the Harris vehicle. The driver of the vehicle in which Franklin was a passenger also got in some shots.
Police said Harris was driving his girlfriend's vehicle. After the shots ended, he drove it into gas pumps, heavily damaging them, police said.
Police found three 40 caliber shell casings and two 45 caliber shell casings after the gun battle.
The victim was struck in the abdomen and buttocks and was seriously injured. He was not called as a witness.
Police said they are still looking for Greg Leveritte, who was identified as the second shooter in the vehicle with Harris.
Items found in the car driven by Harris included 5-6 bags of heroin and some digital scales.