Attorneys Deliver Closing Arguments in 2-Month-Old Murder trial

By Gabriella Salas [former] - April 19, 2022
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Suspects | Victims |

A series of final testimonies and closing arguments were heard on April 18 before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Lawrence R. Daniels. 

Darius Williams, 34, is charged with first-degree murder, first-degree child abuse resulting in the death of a youth under the age of 13, and first-degree child abuse which resulted in severe physical injury for his alleged involvement with an incident that occurred on May 15, 2021. 

The prosecutor called the assistant state medical examiner to testify on Monday. The medical examiner indicated bruising to the upper right eyelid, the left cheek, and three bruises to the right temple of the victim, along with bruising to the right thigh. 

The examiner also found multiple skull fractures to the left and right sides, and brain hemorrhages resulting in the brain “oozing out” of the fractures. He indicated that this kind of injury would result from applied force, which would lead to loss of consciousness, seizing, and eventually death. 

The medical examiner determined the cause of death to be injuries to the head, with the manner of death being homicide. 

After this testimony, defense attorney Paul Polansky, asked to enter into evidence a letter he received from Williams before the trial began. The letter indicates that Williams instructed Polansky on what questions he would like asked during trial. Polansky submitted this letter into evidence in order to counter the prosecution’s evidence of letters sent from Williams to the victim’s mother.

On April 8, a week before the trial began, Williams allegedly sent the mother two letters asking her to change one of her statements regarding the position of Zorii Pitt’s body. 

Polansky also requested to submit the mother’s past mental health records which cited depressive episodes and minor alcohol abuse.

The judge agreed but requested that the mother take the stand again to testify about the records, which resulted in her immediately leaving the courtroom.

“I’m not going back up there. I was dismissed. You should have asked me those questions when I testified. on Friday,” she said. 

The medical records were submitted without the mother’s testimony. 

Polansky then called William’s ex-girlfriend to the stand. The 30-year-old woman shares two children with Williams, a seven-year-old and a two-year-old. She testified that Williams was a “great dad” who was “never violent or rough” with their children. 

She also said their eldest son is nonverbal and autistic and can easily get angry. The ex-girlfriend noted that Williams was very protective and patient with their eldest son because of this.

During cross-examination, the prosecutor asked if she wanted to see Williams in trouble, to which she replied “No.” 

The defense finally called their last witness, Darius Williams. Williams testified to writing the victim’s mother because he found information that he disagreed with in relation to his discovery. 

“Nothing would drive me or possess me to hurt my child,” said Williams. 

Regarding the evening of May 14, 2021, Williams said he was left alone with his daughter when the mother took a shower. When she came back to their room, Williams said she kissed their baby goodnight and they fell asleep. 

When he woke up, he checked on his child and noticed she was “unusually cold.” When he picked Zorri up, she was stiff and he “knew she was gone.” 

Williams claimed that the mother had a history of verbal abuse with the children and that she had been drinking tequila that night. 

The prosecution called a paramedic as their rebuttal witness. During examination, the defense constantly objected to the prosecution’s questions regarding what the paramedic witnessed between Williams and the mother. Ultimately, the paramedic could only testify that the couple had been yelling and that the mother was frantic. He said Williams, on the other hand, was in a state of shock. 

During their closing arguments, the prosecution reiterated that Williams was the last person left alone with Zorii before she died. He reminded the jury of the statement Williams made to police two days after the death of Zorii, in which he claimed that no one else in the house had an opportunity to kill Zorii, leaving him as the only possible suspect. 

The prosecution also replayed the 911 call the mother made that morning, showing the jury the autopsy photos once more. 

“The only thing Darius is guilty of is not being emotional enough,” Polanksy said. He recalled the letter Williams wrote to him, and how Williams voluntarily made a statement to police. 

Polansky asked the jurors what would have been the motivation for Williams to kill his own child and recalled witness statements which claimed Williams was a good father and a kind man. 

Jury deliberations have commenced.