Norris Greenhouse Jr. motion hearing delayed to July 28

The hearing on several motions in the murder trial of Norris Greenhouse Jr. has been reset for July 28 to allow the defense attorney time to respond to the prosecution’s latest motion. The motion had been scheduled for Monday in 12th Judicial District Court.

Defense attorney George Higgins III said in his motion seeking the rescheduling that he received 160 pages and four compact discs of evidence on June 1 relating to the state’s amended motion filed May 31. Judge Billy Bennett granted that request.

Greenhouse is charged with 2nd degree murder of Jeremy Mardis and attempted 2nd degree murder of the child’s father, Christopher Few, on Nov. 3, 2015.

In his motion, Higgins said he needed more time to review the new evidence, but that he was prepared to go to court as scheduled on Monday (June 12) on the original motion -- which did not include testimony of an alleged rape in 2011 that was never reported to authorities until earlier this year.

Higgins said he would also need time for investigation and to subpoena witnesses -- including Attorney General’s Office employees -- concerning the statements in the prosecution’s latest motion.

The motion in question alleges Greenhouse used his position as a law enforcement officer to “satisfy his sexual desires.” The motion seeks to introduce evidence of past “bad acts” to show a pattern of behavior the state says directly relates to establishing a motive for Greenhouse’s actions leading up to the fatal shooting.

The motion includes allegations that Greenhouse wanted to entice Few’s girlfriend, Megan Dixon, into a sexual affair.

Assistant Attorney General Matthew Derbes alleges that Few thought Dixon was driving Few’s vehicle that night and pursued the car because he was “motivated to pull her over in an effort to satisfy his sexual desires as he had attempted to use his uniform and officer status to do so on other occasions with other victims.”