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ANDERSON Dylan Tate, wearing a green striped jail uniform and handcuffs, was sitting in the witness chair when jurors returned from their lunch break on Thursday.

Tate was called to testify against his former girlfriend, Jennifer Harris, 29, who is on trial for Level 1 felony neglect of a dependent resulting in the death and Level 5 felony neglect of a dependent resulting in bodily injury following the death of her 18-month-old son Harlan Haines.

Tate, 28, did not testify in his trial and was found guilty of murdering Harlan on June 14, 2019, and ordered to serve life without parole. He is currently serving his sentence at the Miami Correctional Facility.

On Thursday, Tate told jurors he was in a relationship with Harris in 2017, but then he stopped the questioning by Madison County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Steve Koester.

I dont want to answer any more questions, Tate said.

Jurors were excused from the courtroom and outside of their presence, Koester told Tate he could be found in contempt by the court for refusing to answer the questions.

Koester said Tate did not have a Fifth Amendment right to refuse to answer the questions because he had been convicted of killing Harlan.

Attorney Paul J. Podlejski then addressed the court saying he was representing Tate on the appeal of Tates murder conviction and had spoke with Tate about being found in contempt if he refused to answer questions.

Tate told Podlejski he was aware of the repercussions.

Judge Angela Warner Sims immediately found Tate in contempt and sentenced him to an additional six months in prison.

Take him, she ordered law enforcement in the room.

Jurors were brought back into the courtroom to hear testimony from a Marion County deputy coroner after Tate was removed from the courtroom.

The court adjourned just before 2:30 p.m. with testimony scheduled to resume Friday morning.

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Dylan Tate refuses judge's order to testify against former girlfriend in neglect death case - The Herald Bulletin