It's simple.. "The district attorneys office, the police, and the sheriffs department refuse to get to the bottom of things and basically have swept this investigation under the rug.". Related: Nick Hillary Found Not Guilty in Murder of 12-Year-Old Garrett Phillips. He loved sports, being with his friends and ripsticking (kind of like skateboarding, but your back leg always moves). By the time Liz Garbuss two-part documentary Who Killed Garrett Phillips? debuts on HBO, there could be a new public lead in the case of the murdered titular 12-year-old. What was his relationship like with Garrett? The window is how it is believed that the killer escaped. "It was over five years whether it was selling stickers, selling T-shirts, [raising money for] the reward, " Brian Phillips said in an interview with NCPR last week. Mar 8, 2019. The only real signs of struggle was his sweatshirt laying in the hallway and his physical body.". The people who lived downstairs didn't report hearing or seeing anything, Murray said. The boy in the security video was 12-year-old Garrett Phillips. About his hitch in the U.S. Army. Pasqua and local police have declined to comment. On the last day of his life, he went home after school and was home alone where he should have been safe, but apparently wasnt. The filmmaker interviewed Mark Murray, who headed the police investigation, Mary Rain, the former St. Lawrence County district attorney, and William Fitzpatrick, the Onondaga County district attorney who headed the trial team. I personally dont think Nick killed Garrett, but theres just no proof of him doing it. Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Garrett, 12, was found strangled in his empty home on October 24, 2011, with no witnesses reporting seeing the killer enter or exit the second-floor apartment. ), Police canvassed the neighborhood, but no one had witnessed anything, Murray said. On the morning of October 26, 2011, Hillary, then a soccer coach in Potsdam, was summoned to the Potsdam police station. Police soon said it was a homicide. All of other window screens in the home were intact, Murray said. The case does present a thicket of overlapping roles. Ignorance and arrogance walk hand in hand through "Who Killed Garrett Phillips ?"documentarian Liz Garbus 's incendiary true-crime drama about the death of . The apartment that Jones helped Cyrus find was the same spot where Phillips was found gravely hurt. All Rights Reserved. Hillary claims Potsdam and St. Lawrence County law enforcement violated his civil rights, in part because hes Black. One DA declined to pursue an indictment and was eventually voted out of office. The chief of police is now Mark Murray, who was the lead detective on the case. After the schoolboys body was found suffocated and strangled, all fingers pointed to Nick as the murderer. When 12-year-old Garrett Phillips was murdered in 2011 . In the wake of the shocking murder of the boy -- in the very early hours of the investigation -- Tandy and her family believed that Nick Hillary was the likely killer. Over four hours, Garbuss Who Killed Garrett Phillips? painstakingly covers the surprising murder that rocked the small town in Northern New York in 2011. proceeds with the case. Tandy and Nick had moved in together for a brief time, but according to family of Garretts, Nick and Garrett didnt get along. David SommersteinGroups call for independent probe of Garret Phillips murder. Advocates for the wrongfully accused are trying to draw new attention to the murder of Garrett Phillips in Potsdam nine years ago. Then, at the hospital, she found out he was in cardiac arrest. As Tandy would tell us, Nick was rigid -- a man with a plan for every day. Because we werent gonna get justice for him.". When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. The original DA did not feel that she could mount a case, and Mary Rain mounting the case put them through an enormous amount of hope, and then disappointment.. A lot of people discredit The Choke Out Theory, but after digging in to find something else other than tips called into the Potsdam Police Department I have tracked down this article that the DA's office has been looking into. Bastuk admits theyre just familiarizing the AGs office with the details of the case. The victim, Garrett Phillips, was only 12 years old. In the gallery, Tandy slumped and cried. There was really nothing beyond whats in the film that we were able to learn.. Prosecutors have also said they will not reopen the investigation. He talked a lot about accountability, but with guys rarely getting benched, demoted or cut, it was just talk. Police went up the apartment building stairs and into the home, where they found Garrett unconscious and alone inside. Dec 18, 2020. 0. Release Date (Streaming): "Even the appearance of impropriety is as devastating in its consequences to the judicial system as the actual impropriety itself," said Downs. Though the crime happened almost five years ago, the whodunit of it all has consumed this quiet area. For years, one of the loudest voices demanding justice for Garrett Phillips belonged to his uncle. The person who brutally murdered Garrett Phillips is still allowed to walk free. Hillary does not shy away from the scrutiny the film will bring, saying his ordeal will have had purpose if it saves others from similar mistreatment by law enforcement. Nick did drive a blue car, however the footage is so blurry that you cant tell who is driving or see the license plate. #AD - Use this link for a 7-day free trial - http://bit.ly/23sh00652In today's video I discuss the case of Garrett Phillips as well as the documentary 'Who k. While Garrett was alive, his uncle said,the boy was deeply loved. His mothers ex-boyfriend, Nick Hillary, was found not guilty of the murder just over two years ago in a trial that captivated the region. And while the killer of the 12-year-old boy could still be on the loose,. But he said Hillarys situation fits in with nationwide protests over racism in policing a Black man associated with a crime even after a not guilty verdict. As le Forty minutes later, he was found strangled to death in his mother's bedroom. The university soccer coach had previously dated the victims mother, Tandy Cyrus, but was reported to have split with the grieving mum as he didnt get on with her children. When 12-year-old Garrett Phillips was murdered in 2011, suspicion turned to soccer coach Oral "Nick" Hillary. The police photographed the window, took fingerprints and took the blinds as evidence. I have so many questions about the ex-boyfriend, John Jones. A St. Lawrence County prosecutor says there's a new tip in the Garrett Phillips murder case. Thats why Who Killed Garrett Phillips? devotes so much time to following Hillary himself. Garbus and her crew interviewed him many times, filmed him with his kids and in his home, and included footage of his 2016 trial. Hillary has adamantly denied the charge, saying from day one he was innocent. Its no secret how police usually do their work. After 22 witnesses testified and after a two week trial, Nick was found not guilty. Police collected fingerprints from the window; they are not Hillary's and have never been identified, Murray said. Nick did say he was at the high school that day, watching a soccer game. The police also noticed Nicks ankle was swollen and he had an abrasion on his ankle. Meanwhile Garretts autopsy was done. In April 2012, Nick filed a suit against the police department for how he was treated. Nick soon asked for a lawyer, food and cigarettes. Whatever you might say about the film and how it portrays the justice system and Nick Hillary, my hope is that it also reflects the pain of the loss of this family and the gaping hole it left in their lives, Garbus says. It was two days after 12 year-old Garrett Phillips was found strangled to death in his home in Potsdam. They couldnt break down the door, so they got the manager to unlock the door, which was locked from the inside. Chronicling the five years after the murder, the film is an eye-opening look at how justice is delivered and delayed. "You could see that Garrett had neatly set his sneakers by the closet. We reached out to Murray this winter ask how hes handling the investigation, but he declined to comment. Related stories:A phone call from inside the investigationPasqua wouldnt provide any details beyond that, but it appears state troopers passed the new information to Potsdam Village Police, which is still the lead agency in control of the case. Oral "Nick" Hillary still coaches soccer. The first part of the documentary Who Killed Garrett Phillips? You know, outlandish thoughts like, 'Maybe Garrett fell out the window and made his way back up here and died,' or an accident happened in the apartment and one of the kids didn't wanna get caught or in trouble, so he went out the window. That there'd been a rush to judgment. Director Liz Garbus is pictured in an undated photo. If there's been an acquittal, Trainum said, thats all the more reason for investigators to take a step back and consider how the case unfolded. "Thats not gonna change.". His career, its Nick interrupted: Its gone., Continuing her spiel, Liz said: His family have suffered great trauma and Nicks financial situation is not what it was before its not a happy ending.. Tips come in. POTSDAM Nearly nine years after Garrett J. Phillips was strangled to death in his Potsdam home, the case remains open and no one has been convicted in connection to the 12-year-old's murder. Dismiss. Potsdam, NY, interim police chief takes ABC News through the crime scene. Phillips also knows that the former DA, Mary Rain, had her law license suspended last summer. Phillips was the 12-year-old boy who was fatally attacked at his home in Potsdam in 2011. Pictured is the 100 Market St. apartment building in Potsdam, New York. (Hillary has denied visiting the apartment without Cyrus' permission. Yet somehow, within hours, police. On the same courthouse steps in Canton where Hillary walked away a free man after being cleared in Garrett Phillips death almost four years ago, a couple dozen people held a press conference Friday afternoon. When the former live-in boyfriend of the mother, a black Jamaican-born soccer coach, became an almost immediate suspect in the murder, a cry went out from his camp that he was being railroaded. Phillips's final hours. "I think about him every day. Jobs People Learning Dismiss Dismiss. Cyrus did not want to participate. While there would be the occasional inconsistency in a detail someones story, be it Hillarys or Murrays or Joness which she didnt shy away from including in the final cut everyone was adamant about their beliefs. Part 1 of Who Killed Garrett Phillips? He entered the parking lot of the high school, heading towards his house. At that point "we weren't sure what we had," Murray told "20/20." And the fact that his life has apparently remained much the same, while Hillary's was thrown into disarray, proves that. They tried to revive him, but he was pronounced dead at the hospital around 7pm. "It still is. Who Killed Garrett Phillips? airs July 23 and 24 on HBO. Nick told the police that he was with his assistant coach, a man named Ian at the time of the murder. premieres on HBO on Tuesday, July 23 at 8/7c. She had also been in a relationship with a police officer named John Jones at the time. It just blows my mind.. The police also made Nick strip down in the nude, so they could take photographs. Garbus shares that she was in contact with Tandy while in production on the project, and she expressed the possibility of sitting down for an interview once the trial was over. "But the day of the verdict, something just hit me. His mother's ex-boyfriend, Nick Hillary, was found not guilty of the murder just over two years ago in a. Sky Crime launched the documentary Who Killed Garrett Phillips? "Ideally, it should be used as a learning experience, where all the parties go back and theyre open with each other and honest with each other," Trainum said. Nick said he was shocked and surprised to hear the allegations of bad blood between him and the young boy. And the focus right now is to start puttin this in the rearview mirror.. He had minutes left to live. On Tuesday, the eve of the verdict, Interim Potsdam Police Chief Mark Murray took ABC News' Elizabeth Vargas through the crime scene: a 3-bedroom apartment where Garrett lived and where he was found on the floor that fateful October day. Back at the crime scene, the police realized there was no forced entry, but there was an open window, with the screen cut out. If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page - we'd love to hear from you. An officer arrived on the scene and found 12-year-old Garrett . Garretts family, especially his mom and uncle, Brian Phillips, believe Nick 100% killed Garrett. Then, ABC News 20/20 will interview the accused ex-boyfriend of Phillips mother, Oral Nick Hillary, for the first time since he was acquitted two days ago. Hillary was confused, especially because Jones was not in his deputy uniform and he wasn't sure if Jones was there in an official capacity or not. Tandy Cyrus, Garretts mom, was at her other sons basketball practice. He denied any butt-head moment with Garrett, or spats over homework or chores. Two years after the slaying, Garretts mothers ex-boyfriend, Oral Nick Hillary, was arrested, tried for the murder and acquitted. There were many similarities in Hillary and Jones: they were both romantically connected to Phillips' mother and they were both allegedly seen in proximity to Phillips before the murder. First, why the actual eff was he allowed to be in the interrogation room with Tandy? Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. At 9pm, Dateline will air The Accused, which will focus on law enforcement and community response to the horrific crime, according to Syracuse.com. with hopes to shed more light on the devastating case. Again, I saw an abrasion, but it ankle didnt look swollen to me. Nick Hillary Found Not Guilty in Murder of 12-Year-Old Garrett Phillips. This video proves nothing. And that's an important part of the lawsuit Hillary has since filed against many individuals involved in his case. Photo: Lauren Rosenthal. Theyre Aug 17, 2020 Advocates for the wrongfully accused are trying to draw new attention to the murder of Garrett Phillips in Potsdam nine years ago. When asked if it was under investigation, Pasqua responded: "I think that's safe to say, yes.". Nick is innocent, and cannot be retried. The first afternoon, of many, spent rebuilding his life. Yard signs like this were planted across St. Lawrence County to keep the case in the public eye. But Hillary was black and Jones was white, and Hillary was focused on as a suspect with much more intensity. Dismiss. There were people outside changing a tire, but they only reported hearing the window screen being pushed out, Murray said. 24. Though the crime happened almost five years ago, the whodunit of it all has consumed this quiet area. Dateline's been covering the case of Garrett Phillips for over a year. 3. Nick Hillary 20/20 Interview After Found Not Guilty of Murder. Per The Daily Beast, Jones was involved in the immediate aftermath of Phillips' death; he went with Phillips' mother to police interviews and called dispatchers to get information on what was going on. "I dont know that its fair to them to keep reliving it unless something new or different happens. Phillips was convinced police had the right suspect, but he felt it was time to move on and it became clear that law enforcement wanted to move on, too. Garrett was found unconscious in his home and died that night due to injuries inflicted by a yet unknown perpetrator. Though the crime happened almost five years ago suspended last summer was at the school. 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