Jury finds Highland Park man not guilty in murder of girlfriend's brother

A Highland Park man was found not guilty in the murder of his girlfriend's brother after a jury trial in Wayne County.

Derek Everett was charged with second-degree murder in connection with the fatal stabbing of Anthony McCormick, 34, in December 2020. His attorney, Antonio Tuddles, said the stabbing was done in self-defense because McCormick was choking him.

The stabbing took place at about 10:40 p.m. Dec. 17, 2020, in the 300 block of Eason, Highland Park police said.

McCormick and Everett's girlfriend had been drinking all day before Everett came home, Tuddles said. Everett and his girlfriend were about to have sex when she threw up and he took her to the bathroom, where she laid on the floor. Everett moved to leave to go pick up something to help his girlfriend sober up or feel better and McCormick returned to the home, irate at the sight of his sister on the floor and Everett leaving.

McCormick choked Everett against the wall, Tuddles said, and Everett pulled a knife out of his pocket and stabbed him, but McCormick did not let go. He stabbed him again and this time, McCormick let go, Tuddles said. Everett went to get some first aid supplies and when he returned, McCormick had walked out of the door and fell down the steps.

Everett tried to wake McCormick up and panicked when he could not, Tuddles said. Less than 12 hours later, he turned himself in to the Highland Park police with the knife.

Tuddles said prosecutors could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Everett didn't act in self defense when he killed McCormick. His girlfriend admitted during the trial that she was too drunk to remember anything that happened, which was different than what she had said earlier, Tuddles said.

kberg@detroitnews.com