Samantha Woll murder trial: Suspect Michael Jackson-Bolanos continues testimony
DETROIT (FOX 2) - Michael Jackson-Bolanos, the man accused of murdering Samantha Woll, will return to the stand Monday morning to continue testimony.
Watch live above when court resumes at 9 a.m.
Before court broke for the long holiday weekend, Jackson-Bolanos took the stand, where he maintained his innocence. He is charged with first-degree murder, home invasion, and lying to a peace officer in connection with the fatal stabbing last fall.
He admitted that the night that Woll was killed, he was scoping out cars in the neighborhood to break into – which he said in his police interview that was played in court earlier in the trial.
Michael Jackson-Bolanos testifies in his trial in murder of Samantha Woll
Michael Jackson-Bolanos' defense attorney started his case on Tuesday after three weeks of testimony from the prosecution's witnesses.
Jackson-Bolanos said he wore gloves that night to avoid leaving fingerprints behind. He testified he looked into several cars and pulled a bag from a car near an apartment but dropped it when he heard people walking nearby.
Attorney: "Did you stab Samantha Woll?"
"Absolutely not. I had no weapons on me that whole night," he said.
He talked about the moment he discovered Woll’s body outside her Detroit home last October, denying he had anything to do with the Jewish community leader's murder.
"I didn’t shake the body. I just checked the neck, I put my hand in between right here. No air, no breath or nothing," he said. "Once I realized I just touched a dead person. I grabbed the bag, and I left."
He said he didn't call 911 after finding the body because of his criminal record.
When court resumes Monday, prosecutors will have a chance to interview Jackson-Bolanos.