Stanley Drazen, Calvin Harris’ divorce attorney, testified in Harris’ second-degree murder trial on Wednesday. He is seen here, departing the courthouse. (Photos by Wendy Post)
Students from the Cobleskill and Richmondville schools in Schoharie County arrived at the Schoharie County Courthouse on Wednesday to sit in on the trial.
In the Calvin Harris trial on Wednesday, the morning opened with students from Cobleskill and Richmondville in Schoharie County arriving to see court in action. Approximately 60 students from these surrounding schools arrived at the second-degree murder trial to witness the inner-workings of a courtroom proceeding.
The morning started with retired New York State Police Investigator Delgiorno taking the stand. Delgiorno interviewed Michele Harris’ hairdresser, Jerome Wilcynski, a few days after her disappearance, and took notes that contradict Wilcynski’s testimony that he heard Calvin Harris threaten to kill Michele over the phone in the summer of 2001.
On Wednesday, Delgiorno’s testimony centered on this interview with Wilcynski, and revealed that his recollection of the interview, after reviewing the lead sheets, did indeed contradict that of Michele’s hairdresser.
On the stand, and while under direct from the defense, Delgiorno testified that while Wilcynski overheard Michele having arguments with her husband, Calvin Harris, that he never told investigators about anything that was threatening – as Wilcynski had testified to previously in the trial.
Delgiorno also testified that the hairdresser told him that Harris did not hit Michele, and they also talked of Calvin Harris’ infidelities.
Also testifying on Wednesday was Stanley Drazen, Calvin Harris’ divorce attorney. This testimony centered on divorce proceedings between Calvin and Michele Harris, and was utilized by the defense to contradict the prosecution’s claims that Harris had the motive to kill his wife.
Specifically, a trial date that was set for Oct. 22, 2001, according to Drazen, was merely set. Drazen testified that the two were arriving at an amicable agreement in their divorce settlement.
What was not clear, was a $30,000 fee for an appraisal of eight dealerships that Michele’s attorney, Robert Miller, was requesting. According to Drazen, the court had not approved this fee to be paid prior to Michele Harris’ disappearance.
Drazen testified that the last conversation he had with Calvin Harris regarding the divorce was on Sept. 7, 2001, and that he told Harris that he thought they [the attorneys] had reached a settlement.
Drazen described Harris’ reaction to this news as positive, and that he [Calvin Harris] seemed delighted.
On Wednesday afternoon, the blood expert for the defense, Terry Laber, returned to the stand to continue his testimony surrounding the blood stains found at the Harris residence.
Laber, throughout the afternoon, offered visual demonstrations of various blood patterns and what stains would appear like if there were an attempt to clean them up. Laber utilized his own blood to create the demonstrations.
Defense witness testimony will continue on Thursday in Schoharie County.
