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LINCOLN, IL (KTVI-FOX2now.com) -
Christopher Harris, the man charged with the murders of 5 family members in Beason, IL, came to face to face with relatives of the victims during a brief court appearance on Tuesday. He is charged with the murders of Rick and Ruth Gee and their three children, Justine Constant, Dillen Constant, and Austin Gee, inside their Beason, IL home. Their bodies were found September 21st.
Harris, 30, turned and looked at family members while some of them waved back. The gesture appeared to be a sign of support.
"He's a good kid - he's an excellent kid he has a good background he's not a violent person," said Stephanie Tisdale, a friend of Harris.
"He persists he had nothing to do with the killings of the Gee family and he's got the support of his family and he's got the presumption of innocence," said Tim Timoney, a Springfield, IL criminal defense attorney assigned by the court to represent Harris.
Harris is divorced from a daughter of the Gee family but his attorney claims he has support from both his family and the relatives of the Gees.
"He's got the support of his family both the harris family and the gee family and he's persisting in his innocence," said Timoney.
This is such a high profile case that the prosecution was granted a request for additional resources from the Illinois Attorney General.
That prompted the public defender to ask the state for help.
"I anticipate asking for at least 2 and possibly 3 other attorneys as well as investigators so that we match the resources of the state on this," Timoney said.
The next step will be for either a grand jury or judge to determine whether there's enough evidence for Harris to stand trial.
"If probable cause is found be either a judge or grand jury we anticipate entering a plea of not guilty and ask that the matter be set for a trial," said Timoney.
Harris will remain in custody in another Illinois county for security reasons. A preliminary hearing is set for October 28th in Logan County.
Harris, 30, turned and looked at family members while some of them waved back. The gesture appeared to be a sign of support.
"He's a good kid - he's an excellent kid he has a good background he's not a violent person," said Stephanie Tisdale, a friend of Harris.
"He persists he had nothing to do with the killings of the Gee family and he's got the support of his family and he's got the presumption of innocence," said Tim Timoney, a Springfield, IL criminal defense attorney assigned by the court to represent Harris.
Harris is divorced from a daughter of the Gee family but his attorney claims he has support from both his family and the relatives of the Gees.
"He's got the support of his family both the harris family and the gee family and he's persisting in his innocence," said Timoney.
This is such a high profile case that the prosecution was granted a request for additional resources from the Illinois Attorney General.
That prompted the public defender to ask the state for help.
"I anticipate asking for at least 2 and possibly 3 other attorneys as well as investigators so that we match the resources of the state on this," Timoney said.
The next step will be for either a grand jury or judge to determine whether there's enough evidence for Harris to stand trial.
"If probable cause is found be either a judge or grand jury we anticipate entering a plea of not guilty and ask that the matter be set for a trial," said Timoney.
Harris will remain in custody in another Illinois county for security reasons. A preliminary hearing is set for October 28th in Logan County.
