Harmon Murder Trial Will Be Rescheduled

CHARLENE SHARPE

STAFF WRITER

SNOW HILL -- A Worcester County Circuit Court Judge postponed the trial of murder suspect Skylor Dupree Harmon at the request of the defense.

Judge Thomas Groton granted the postponement request from defense attorney Denise Fried. The trial, which had been set for May 9-12, will be rescheduled.

"With the trial on Monday, with him facing the rest of his life in jail, we need time to prepare," Fried said.

Harmon faces first-degree murder charges from his alleged role in the May 2010 death of Virginia resident Reginald Jerome Handy Jr.

Alexander Crippen, 36, was originally charged with the crime, but the charges were dropped, and he was later convicted of trying to kill a different man. At the time, prosecutors said the forensic evidence that cleared Crippen of murder charges in Handy's death was also helpful in identifying Harmon as the suspect.

Fried told the judge she needed time to go through the transcripts from Crippen's case to study testimony of witnesses who might be testifying against Harmon. She also wants to transcribe the audio tapes associated with the case and to give Harmon the chance to listen to them.

Harmon was identified as the primary suspect in Handy's death in December. According to court documents, the night Handy was shot at 503 Laurel St. in Pocomoke City, a witness saw a flash of a gun go off beside 500 Young St., which parallels Laurel Street. A witness told police that immediately afterward, he saw Harmon near the flash. Police later found a .223 Bushmaster assault rifle between 500 and 502 Young St., which was determined to be the weapon used to killed Handy, according to court documents.

Fried said the postponement would also give her time to consult an expert regarding the bullet that killed Handy. She said the bullet could not necessarily be traced to the gun found at the scene.

In separate court cases, Harmon was also charged with resisting arrest, failure to obey law enforcement, possession of a controlled dangerous substance, disorderly conduct, making a false statement to a police officer, malicious destruction of property and obstructing and hindering.

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