Marquis Bullock Ordered To Trial

The prime suspect in the disappearance of a 13-year-old Union student will go to trial.  A judge ruled on Monday that there is enough evidence to try Marquis Bullock for the murder of Cori Baker.  The News On 6's Ashli Sims reports the defense tried to have testimony excluded and even the murder charge itself thrown out altogether.  But, a judge ruled 18-year-old Marquis Bullock will go to trial.

Cori Baker's family and friends were very visible in the Tulsa County Courthouse.  They were all wearing pink and gray T-shirts with the message:  "Justice for Cori."

"We're here representing Cori because she can't be. She's the one that should have been in there testifying," said Danny Baker, Cori's father.

Cori Baker disappeared last November.  Her sister's boyfriend Marquis Bullock is accused of killing the 13 year old.

Both of Cori's sisters, including the one Bullock shares a child with, took the stand against him.  The middle Baker girl testified that Bullock drilled a peep hole into her room and spied on her.  Courtney Baker, the oldest sister and Bullock's girlfriend, says he told her to lie to the police for him.

"Bringing back the memories. It will haunt me for life. It will never go away," said Courtney Baker.

A Tulsa Police detective told the judge at first Bullock adamantly denied picking Cori up from Union Alternative School.  The detective testified Bullock told him "I would never look at Cori that way. She is my girlfriend's sister and she's only 13."

Over four days, the detective says Bullock gave them four different versions of what happened the day Cori disappeared.  He says in one version, Bullock claimed he and Cori were at the Arkansas River horsing around and Cori fell in and drowned.

After about five hours of testimony and a dozen witnesses, the judge decided there was enough evidence for Bullock to face trial for first degree murder.

"I definitely feel relieved.  I've been holding my breath all day. Because I was a witness, I wasn't in there for any of this. So, we didn't know what was going on or what was being said. But, I'm definitely relieved that he's going to stay in custody," said Danny Baker, Cori's father.

Bullock's attorney tried to argue that without a body and a cause of death, there's no murder.  But, the judge denied that argument.  The defense also claimed Bullock's statements to police were coerced.  That was also overruled, but those arguments are sure to come up again during trial.

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