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Southfield Freeway shooting: Concerns about intimidation arise when witness changes story in court

Car wash employee recants story he gave under oath

DETROIT – A witness who took the stand Friday to testify in the case of a fatal Detroit freeway shooting that left a 3-year-old boy dead told a different story under oath, prosecutors said.

Derrick Durham, 24, is accused of firing a shot Jan. 24 that killed Christian Miller, who was riding in a car with his godmother on the Southfield Freeway.

Related: Detroit man charged in Southfield Freeway shooting that killed 3-year-old boy

Under oath, an employee at a car wash where Durham allegedly went several days after the shooting said that Durham told him the car was "hot" and that he was looking for something. Prosecutors allege he was looking for a bullet casing.

When the witness took the stand, he said that Durham didn't specify why he wanted to clean the car, a different story than what he said to investigators.

The change in story has led to concerns about witness intimidation in the case.

"If it (witness intimidation) happens in this courtroom or outside those doors and I hear about it, I'm going to bring you in here and I'm going to make sure you're locked up until it's over," said Judge Ronald Giles.


About the Authors
Priya Mann headshot

Priya joined WDIV-Local 4 in 2013 as a reporter and fill-in anchor. Education: B.A. in Communications/Post Grad in Advanced Journalism

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