Lawyer for suspect in Lexington murder case calls client’s charges ‘a hunch’
The lawyer representing a Lexington woman charged in a murder case said in a court hearing Thursday the charges against his client were the result of a mere “hunch” by detectives and prosecutors.
Brooklyn Trigg, 21, is charged with complicity to murder and tampering with physical evidence in connection to the fatal shooting death of 27-year-old Daievyon Elliott. Trigg and 22-year-old Darrion Saliford, who is also charged in the case, appeared in Fayette District Court Thursday for a preliminary hearing.
After testimony from Lexington police Det. Nicholas Music, Trigg’s lawyer, Daniel Whitley, questioned whether the evidence against his client warranted the complicity to murder charge.
“I think a jury would say this complicity to a murder, with respect to the Lexington Police Department, a hunch or a true guess,” Whitley said.
Elliott was found shot inside a vehicle in the back parking lot of a residence on Fairmont Court in January, police previously said. Elliott was shot on both sides of his body, and two different sets of shell casings were found at the scene, indicating multiple shooters were involved.
Trigg was inside the vehicle with another witness when the shooting occurred, according to court documents. She gave a statement to police and was tested for gunshot residue, a test that came back positive.
Whitley argued a positive gunshot residue test would not indicate if Trigg fired shots, since she was inside the car.
“The report says that it could be present for somebody who has been in the vicinity of a firearm being fired and when a firearm is fired,” Music testified. “They can’t tell you which one it is.”
Shell casings were found only outside the vehicle, not inside, Music said. Whitley argued that further implies Trigg did not fire shots.
“She is somehow complicit, and someone outside the car is jumping and shooting. That is beyond a hunch,” Whitley said. “I understand that probable cause is a low standard, but this is a guess.”
Court documents also say Trigg met with Saliford and 22-year-old Jeffrey Ollie before the shooting happened and communicated with Ollie after it occurred.
Ollie has been charged with complicity to murder and tampering with physical evidence, police said Tuesday.
One of the cellular communications was related to the shooting or planning the shooting, Music said.
Trigg messaged the other witness saying she should have robbed Elliott; Whitley argued that message was sent two weeks before the shooting, while Music said it was sent the same day as the shooting.
Ultimately Fayette District Judge John Tackett found probable cause in the case and sent it forward to a grand jury. Saliford’s case was also sent on to a grand jury.
“Mr. Whitley expressed several offenses, which I think are better suited for a jury to hear,” Tackett said.
Whitley also asked for Trigg’s bond to be lowered, but Tackett kept it the same. Trigg and Saliford are being held at the Fayette County Detention Center on a $750,000 bond, according to jail records.
Elliott’s mother makes a statement
At the conclusion of the hearing, a representative in the courtroom made a statement written by Elliott’s mother. In the statement, the mother said the news of her son’s death has left her grieving.
“There is nothing in this life that will ever replace the life of my son, and there is nothing that will ever be able to heal the brokenness,” the statement read.
The mother also called out Whitley, who represented Elliott in a pair of drug cases in 2018 and 2019 but withdrew before the cases were resolved, court records show.
“I understand you, Daniel, are going to slur my son’s name after he put a pretty penny in your pocket. I see you,” the statement read.
