Judge grants recess in Ghassemi trial as defense speaks to additional witness
BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB) - The defense lawyers in the case of the Baton Rouge businessman accused of hiring men to murder his ex-wife argued case technicalities Wednesday.
Brent Stockstill and Tommy Damico, the lawyers for Hamid Ghassemi, were in court Wednesday for a hearing on a motion to suppress evidence.
Ghassemi and three other men were arrested in May 2015 in connection with the murder of Ghassemi's ex-wife Taherah Ghassemi.
They claimed deputies with the East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office got cell phones records without the proper search warrants. Those phone records linked Ghassemi and those he allegedly hired.
Ghassemi faces charges of solicitation for murder, principal to first-degree murder, principal to second-degree kidnapping and principal to arson for his part in Taherah's death.
Taherah was reported missing on April 11. Her vehicle was found on fire the next day.
Investigators found Taherah's body buried in a wooded area in St. Helena Parish on May 16, 2015. The coroner reported that she died from a gunshot wound to the head.
The judge granted the defense lawyers' request for a recess. They are hoping to get another potential witness to testify.
The case will resume on July 7.
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