Legal Motion Filed in Latasha Mott Murder Case

Gavel In Court Room

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In Syracuse, the legal case against Latasha Mott has taken a new turn. Mott, accused of beating her five-year-old daughter, Nefertiti Harris, to death with a belt last January, appeared in court on Wednesday (January 29). Her lawyers argued that there is no evidence to suggest she intended to kill her daughter. They have requested that the charge of second-degree murder be reduced to first-degree manslaughter.

Mott's attorney, Donald Kelly, stated that the evidence does not support the murder charge. However, Prosecutor Rob Moran countered that statements made by Mott, the condition of her daughter's body, and the medical examiner's testimony support the current charge.

The case has been ongoing since Nefertiti's body was discovered in March, two months after her death. Mott and her boyfriend, Corrice Parks, allegedly hid the child's body in a field. Mott was initially charged with first-degree manslaughter, but the charge was elevated to second-degree murder after a grand jury review.

Judge Matthew Doran has not yet ruled on the motion to reduce the charge. A hearing is scheduled for March 26 to determine if Mott's statements can be used in her trial.

This case is part of a broader context of violent crime in Syracuse, where the city recorded 23 homicides in 2024. Nefertiti Harris was the first and youngest victim of the year.


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