Prosecution witnesses: Phillips parents

LUDINGTON, Mich. (WOOD) - Sean Phillips' parents were witnesses for the prosecution as the Baby Kate trial continued in Mason County Tuesday.

His father took the witness stand Tuesday morning, and said the relationship his son had with Ariel Courtland had a lot of turmoil.

Larry Phillips said Courtland was "relentless in calling their home about child care issues, and admitted she wasn't invited to their home because of past incidents.

During parts of his testimony he became emotional and said he,too, wants to know where Baby Kate is.

Hours later, his mother, Kim, took the stand. She said her son and Courtland "always had disagreements," and said she didn't think their relationship was going to be in his best interest.

Soil found on Phillips' shoes was likely found near water, a swamp or a marsh, a professor of plant biology testified prior to Kim Phillips in the early afternoon.

Dr. Frank Telewski, a professor of plant biology took the stand. He examined material removed from Phillips' shoes. He said the material found on the shoes was likely found near water, a swamp or a marsh. He and another professor went with detectives to various areas to examine soil where Phillips may have gone.

He added material found on Phillips' shoes may have come from an area called Sutton's Landing. It "most closely matched what we found ... on the shoes."

"Sutton’s Landing is a charming park along the Pere Marquette River," according to the Visit Ludington website.

When questioned, Telewski said some of the matter on Phillips' shoes could "possibly" have come from the area surrounding Phillips home. And, he added, he does not know how long the dirt and vegetation had been on his shoes, nor exactly where it came from.

Before Telewski testified, Michigan State University professor Dr. James Crum took the stand. Crum, a soil science expert, analyzed soil from Phillips' shoes that were taken into evidence.

The soil, he said, appeared to come from western Mason County, but there was no way to tell when the soil got on the shoes.

Before testimony even began Tuesday, Phillips' defense attorney told Judge Richard Cooper she "just received some newly discovered evidence."

Annette Smedley asked to add Jaime Jones to her witness list. Jones, the head of the Missing You foundation, has helped in other missing person cases, she said.

Jones' testimony will go "right to the heart of what clothing Katherine had on," Smedley said. Cooper granted the addition of Jones to the defense list.

This happened before the jury entered the Mason County court, and when they did, prosecutors called FBI Special Agent Todd Reineck to the stand. He analyzed Phillips' cell phone records and looked for data regarding Phillips' location and cell activity.

Reineck said there were three calls on his cell phone between 1:10-1:20 p.m. June 29, 2011, the day 4-month-old Katherine Phillips was last seen. Then, Reineck said, the phone was turned off between 1:17-3:19 p.m., followed by more than a dozen calls within minutes.

After a lunch break, Michigan State Police Det. James MacDonald testified he reviewed cell phone records from the phone Sean Phillips was carrying.

The trial, with Mason County Judge Richard Cooper presiding, is expected to continue through this week.

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