CLARKSTON, Ga. — A woman accused of shooting and killing a man during the search for a missing baby got emotional Friday after a judge denied her bond.
Santana Miller and her brother, Delarius Miller, are both facing murder charges after police said they shot Aziz Hassan at an apartment complex in Clarkston.
Police said the siblings were on a desperate search for 1-year-old Blaise Barnett, who had been abducted when his family’s SUV was stolen at a nearby apartment complex nearby the night before. Police said a group of family and friends showed up at the complex armed with guns and banged on random doors, trying to find the baby.
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Blaise was found safe in a car at a home near the police station a day later. It’s still unclear who stole the car with him inside. Police said that Hassan was not involved in the kidnapping and was an innocent victim.
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Channel 2′s Michael Seiden was outside the DeKalb County courthouse Friday, where Santana Miller claimed self-defense.
Her attorney argued that she felt threatened by Hassan, who was also armed.
Hassan’s daughter spoke to the judge, breaking down in tears as she faced her father’s accused killer for the first time.
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“My father was innocent,” Firmesk Sardarkhan said. “I don’t want the murderers of my father to see the outside of a prison cell.”
Prosecutors said Miller and the group tried to storm into Hassan’s apartment. Later in the evening, Hassan went down to the parking lot because he thought the group was breaking into his car. That’s when police said Santana Miller fired the deadly shots.
“My client spoke with police, admitted to having a lawful firearm,” attorney Stacey Levy said. “Staying around and giving a statement shows she’s not a flight risk.”
Santana Miller was emotional throughout the hearing, but the judge still denied her bond. Her brother is scheduled for his bond hearing on Wednesday.
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