Defense seeks to strike testimony from key witness in Kate Steinle murder trial

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- The defense in the Kate Steinle murder trial filed a motion to strike the testimony of a key prosecution witness.

ABC7 News reported Monday that a former crime scene investigator with the San Francisco Police Department was being sued for lying in another unrelated case where the defendant was wrongfully convicted.

RELATED: Prosecutor's witness in Kate Steinle trial now being sued for lying

In the Steinle case, John Evans was brought in as a witness because of his experience in ballistic and firearms investigations. Evans testified that the defendant, Jose Ines Garcia Zarate, pointed the gun in the direction of Steine, pulled the trigger and killed her. The prosecution asked him why, and Evans responded, "It's the only reasonable explanation."

But lawyers in a different case will be in federal court in Oakland to argue that Evans and other SFPD officers violated their client's constitutional rights.

The case involves a man by the name of Jamal Trulove, who was convicted of murder in 2010. That conviction was overturned, and Trulove was acquitted in a second trial.

Evans testified for the prosecution in both trials. It was later discovered that Evans misrepresented the facts under oath.

RELATED: San Francisco Police Department admits to lying to defendant in Steinle case to get a confession

On Tuesday morning, the prosecution in the Steinle trial asked the judge in the case, Samuel Feng, to seal the motion filed by the defense. The judge agreed.

Click here for full coverage on the Kate Steinle murder case.