FIRST ON 13: Defense motion seeks to bar testimony from driveway shooting victim’s friends, family

The attorneys for the man accused of killing a woman in his driveway last April are seeking to bar prosecutors presenting testimony from her family and friends.

The trial for Kevin Monahan is scheduled to begin on Monday. Monahan has been charged with second-degree murder for the shooting death of Kaylin Gillis in his Hebron driveway. Gillis was a passenger in a vehicle that had gotten lost and was turning around in Monahan’s driveway.

Monahan’s defense team filed a motion in Washington County Court seeking to prohibit testimony that is not directly related to the charges against Monahan. The defense writes that the jury shouldn’t be able to hear emotional testimony about her personal and family background because they claimed it would cloud the judgment of jurors.

“The identity of Kaylin Gillis is not in dispute. Even if it were, it can be established by all the witnesses who were with her on the night in question. The only reason the prosecution could have for calling family members, friends, etc., to talk about Ms. Gillis’ background would be to try to prejudice the defendant,” attorney Kurt Mausert wrote.

Monahan’s lawyers are particularly concerned because there are two people on the witness list with the last name Gillis.