Brother of North Chicago boy found dead in Gary last month seeks to defend himself
The brother of Damari Perry, the 6-year-old North Chicago boy whose body was found in Gary, Indiana, is seeking to represent himself in the case against him.
Damari's older brother Jeremiah Perry, 20, pleaded not guilty to the charges against him at a virtual hearing Monday morning.
Perry was indicted last week by a Lake County grand jury on eight felony counts of murder, as well as felony counts of aggravated battery of a child, dismembering a human body, conspiracy, aggravated domestic battery, concealment of a homicidal death, endangering the life or health of a child, abuse of a corpse and obstructing justice.
Lake County Judge George Strickland said that on Wednesday Perry filed several motions indicating he wishes to represent himself.
Attorney Renea Amen, who appeared at Monday's hearing to represent Perry, said she had not received a copy of those motions and planned to speak to Perry later on about his desire to represent himself in court.
Perry, who attended the hearing from jail, did not speak other than to indicate that he understood what was being said.
A hearing will be held Tuesday morning to settle the matter of whether Perry will be represented by Amen or by himself.
Damari's mother, Jannie Perry faces the same charges as Jeremiah Perry, as well as one felony count of failure to report the death or disappearance of a child. Her arraignment was scheduled for Monday morning, but the hearing has been pushed to Wednesday, officials said.
On Jan. 8, Damari's body, naked and wrapped in a plastic trash bag, was discovered by FBI agents and North Chicago detectives near an abandoned house in Gary. Authorities said Perry was reported missing Jan. 5 by his mother and a sibling.
The family initially provided information to authorities indicating Damari might be missing in Skokie. But investigators discovered contradictory evidence and shifted attention to the boy's North Chicago home.
The Lake County, Indiana, coroner's office said last month Damari died of hypothermia. The coroner's examination also found scattered discoloration of the skin on the right leg and postmortem thermal injury or charring over the body.
Jeremiah Perry remains in jail on $3 million bail, which means he would need to post $300,000 to be released before his trial. Jannie Perry remains in jail on $5 million bail.
Another older brother, whose name has been withheld by authorities because he is underage, is being charged in Lake County juvenile court.