After four days of testimony, the jury today will get a chance to determine the guilt or innocence of Brian Holliman of Caledonia, whose Thursday request for an acquittal was denied.
“The state has not proven by deliberate design of my client to commit the crime of murder,” defense attorney Steve Farese said once the state rested its rebuttal and jurors were recessed for the day at about 4 p.m. Thursday.
“The motion is overruled,” 16th Circuit Court Judge Howard responded.
Brian Holliman, 28, is accused of the murder of his wife, Laura-Lee Godfrey Holliman, who was 24 at the time of her death.
During the trial, the defense has worked to maintain the shooting was accidental, illustrating, with testimony, concerns for Laura Holliman”s physical and mental health.
Brian Holliman initially reported the death as a suicide. Lowndes County Sheriff”s Office investigators said he later admitted to the Oct. 25, 2008 killing.
In a statement Brian Holliman gave to police, he said he found his wife on the day of her death, in a closet with the 12-gauge Remington 870 pump-action shotgun used in the shooting.
“This is not going to happen,” Brian Holliman said to Laura Holliman, who apparently planned to kill herself, LCSO Investigator Eli Perrigen read from the statement, Wednesday.
Brian Holliman attempted to wrestle the gun away from Laura Holliman when she grabbed the barrel and the gun went off, killing Laura Holliman, the statement continued.
Steve Byrd, chief of the Firearm and Tool Mark Section of the Mississippi Crime Lab, who examined the shotgun used in the crime, earlier in the week said the gun likely was not fired accidentally.
Witnesses have said Laura Holliman had planned to leave Brian Holliman. And five days before her death, Laura Holliman packed her car with clothes, and had her two young daughters — Brianna, the couple”s only child together, and Raleigh, Laura Holliman”s daughter from a previous relationship –were waiting in the vehicle.
Bridget Flowers, whose daughter, Megan, is a friend of Katie Godfrey, Laura Holliman”s teenage sister, and Sarah Holliman, Brian Holliman”s mother, both testified to this.
Sarah Holliman previously testified she arrived at Brian and Laura Holliman”s North Wolf Road home on Oct. 20, 2008, and comforted a distraught Laura Holliman, whose daughters were in the car crying.
“If I had a bullet, that could solve everything,” Laura Holliman told Sarah Holliman, according to Sarah Holliman”s testimony.
Flowers, whom Megan called for a ride home because Brian and Laura Holliman were arguing, said Sarah Holliman did not enter the house, and the children were not crying, as Sarah Holliman testified earlier.
Flowers saw Laura Holliman putting clothes into her vehicle; Megan and Katie were outside with Brianna and Raleigh.
“Were they crying?” Allgood asked Bridget.
“No, they weren”t,” she said.
Moments later, Flowers said, Sarah Holliman arrived at the house.
“She jumped out of the vehicle, took Raleigh and Brianna and left. She did not say a word,” Bridget said.
Witness bias
During questioning by Farese, Flowers, who has posted comments about Brian Holliman on her Facebook page, admitted she was not an unbiased witness.
“Do you consider yourself an unbiased witness?” Farese asked.
“As to what I believe this case is, no,” was her reply.
“He gets to spend Thanksgiving with his (expletive) family,” and “Brian Holliman is out on bond, how (expletive) is that,” Flowers posted at the site.
Godfrey, who moved in with Brian and Laura Holliman during the summer of 2008, said the two argued a lot over many things, including Laura Holliman going out with friends.
Contrary to testimony Laura Holliman was “depressed” and “withdrawn,” Godfrey said Laura Holliman didn”t try to distance herself from her or anyone else.
Family: Laura was not depressed
Godfrey also noted Laura Holliman and Heather Cole, who, along with Sarah Holliman, testified Laura Holliman was depressed, “had no relationship” with Laura Holliman.
Curtis Godfrey, Laura Holliman”s younger brother, with whom she had a very close relationship, said she never expressed thoughts of suicide.
“She did not look like she was depressed,” Godfrey said.
Diane Holbrook, the maternal grandmother of Brooks, Brian Holliman”s son from a previous relationship, said Sarah Holliman told her Laura Holliman had killed herself.
The day after Laura Holliman”s death, Holbrook was scheduled to meet Sarah Holliman near the Sulligent (Ala.) Police Department to pick up Brooks.
“They usually came at 6 p.m., but they were 30 minutes late that day,” Holbrook said.
Sarah Holliman said Laura Holliman had told her, if “she had a gun, she could do away with her problem,” Holbrook testified.
Testimony from coworkers
Julie Rawson, administrator for Gastroenterology Associates of Columbus, where Laura Holliman worked, also testified Thursday. Sarah Holliman told Rawson that Laura Holliman killed herself and was a manic depressive, Rawson said.
She described Laura Holliman, who worked at the office for six months prior to her death, as “one of the most even-keeled people on our staff.” She also said Laura Holliman had not expressed thoughts of suicide to her.
Julie Rawson”s husband, Dr. James Rawson, a doctor at Gastroenterology Associates, saw Laura as a patient when she had foot problems in September 2008.
“She had an infection that was not responding to outpatient treatment,” he said.
Laura Holliman mentioned migraine headaches and bladder problems, James Rawson said, but she did not appear to be in pain as Sarah Holliman said in earlier testimony.
”Like a daughter”
Earlier, Sarah Holliman had been cross examined by Allgood.
Throughout her two-day testimony, Sarah Holliman said she loved Laura Holliman “like a daughter.”
“You did not do anything to prevent her from killing herself, but you loved her like a daughter?” Allgood asked.
“I didn”t do anything for Laura Lee,” she said.
Jury selection was held and testimony began in the case Monday; the trial has been continued a number of times.
Howard was to give jurors final instructions at 9 this morning in the main courtroom of the Lowndes County Courthouse.
Allen Baswell was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 35 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 35 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
