Accused driver in Jazmine Barnes capital murder case back in Houston courtroom

Eric Black Jr., right, appears in court with his attorney Alvin Nunnery, left, on Monday. Eric Black Jr., right, appears in court with his attorney Alvin Nunnery, left, on Monday. Photo: By Brian Rogers Photo: By Brian Rogers Image 1 of / 6 Caption Close Accused driver in Jazmine Barnes capital murder case back in Houston courtroom 1 / 6 Back to Gallery

One of the two men charged in the high-profile drive-by shooting that took the life of 7-year-old Jazmine Barnes last month is expected back in court Thursday.

It will be the third session of a hearing that defense attorneys for 20-year-old Eric Black Jr. demanded after learning earlier this month that gang violence task force officers interviewed their client, despite an order from a district court judge that expressly prohibited any law enforcement from talking to him.

During Thursday’s hearing, defense attorney Alvin Nunnery is expected to probe who approved the jail visit and whether prosecutors were aware of it.

Officials with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office have maintained that the law that allows police officers to ask suspects who have lawyers about investigations that are not connected to what that the suspects are charged with, without their attorney being present.

Both sides have agreed that prosecutors will not to be able use information that Houston Gang Violence Task Force officers gathered during the jailhouse interview in the capital murder case against Black.

He is charged along with Larry Woodruffe, 24, with capital murder in the Dec. 30 shooting. Jazmine Barnes, a second-grader, was with her mother and sisters on an early morning shopping trip when eight shots were fired into their car, killing her and injuring her mother.

brian.rogers@chron.com

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