Chloe Driver murder trial day 3: lead detective takes the stand, rests

CANTON, Ga. – The trial of Chloe Driver, a Cherokee County mother accused of stabbing her toddler daughter to deathHannah Nicole Driver, in December 2020, entered her third day on Thursday.

The majority of the testimony came from the lead detective on the case, with several videos played for jurors before the state rested its case.

Chloe Driver’s confession caught on camera

Testimony began Thursday with Canton Police Detective Taina Cruz, who was the lead investigator on the case.

She discussed collecting two mobile phones during the search and taking a swab from the inside of the cheek of Benyamin Ben Michael, also known as Brian Joyce or ‘Z’, with the aim of determining Hannah’s parentage. DNA evidence was also collected from Chloe’s hands.

Detective Cruz told jurors that she visited Chloe in the hospital, where Chloe was unable to speak due to a severe throat injury. During the visit, which was recorded and played for jurors, Cruz read Chloe her Miranda rights, and Chloe acknowledged them in writing. Chloe immediately wrote down two questions with pen and paper: “I want to know as soon as possible if my baby survived” and “I want to know who is staying with her.” It was then that Cruz informed Chloe that her daughter had died.

When asked if her husband caused her injuries, Chloe wrote: ‘He didn’t do it. I did it.’ She explained: ‘I went crazy and no longer wanted to be with his friends but kept coming back for him. I just wanted my baby and my husband, but he refused.”

During the interview, Chloe repeatedly requested to speak to her husband, Benyamin Ben Michael. However, due to COVID-19 restrictions, he was not allowed to be hospitalized. Cruz also told Chloe that her mother was on her way from Knoxville, Tennessee.

The next day, Cruz returned for a second interview, where Chloe asked, “How long will my prison sentence be for her murder?” A clip from this interview was played to the jury, in which Cruz called Ben Michael for Chloe. When asked if he had seen their daughter Hannah – whom they referred to by her Hebrew name “Nim” – he replied: “I have not seen our deceased child.”

Ben Michael then asked Chloe why she did the deed. Through Cruz, Chloe responded in writing: “It felt the safest. Then I felt terrible. I went because I had no choice.” She later wrote that she took the knife because she felt trapped and had no alternative, citing “certain threats” as a factor.

“You always had a choice,” Ben Michael responded in the video. “Why did you feel like you had no choice?”

At one point, Chloe talked about the “black magic” done to her daughter.

“Because I couldn’t handle being with the group anymore, and you left no alternative with the certain threats,” Cruz read from Chloe’s written response. Ben Michael stated that he was unaware of the threats Chloe was referring to. Chloe, speaking through Cruz, accused him of taking their money and not allowing her to “just buy land and be with (Hannah) as long as she needed to,” stating that he had a group to and held her responsible for their problems.

“No, you blamed yourself for everything,” he replied. “Yes, you’ve been telling me that all the time,” Chloe replied.

After playing the full recording, the court sat down for lunch. When the case resumed, the prosecutor further questioned Cruz about Chloe’s personal items. Among the items was a video recorded a month before the incident, dated November 27, 2020. In it, Chloe stated: “My name is Chloe Driver, the time is 11/27/2020. I am being forced into a truck with Benyamin Ben Michael, or Brian Joyce, to see my daughter, because he kept her from me I don’t know where she is.

Cruz also testified about several trusts and financial accounts discovered during the investigation. It was something the defense questioned Cruz heavily about during cross-examination.

Investigator DeAnna Jarrett of the Cherokee County District Attorney’s Office also took the stand to discuss the search of Chloe’s phone. She testified that Chloe had searched for “killing someone to save them” and “murder because the world was fake.” She also searched for “how to break a neck” which took her to a website that talked about how much force it actually takes to kill someone.

The state subsequently rested its case.

Chloe Driver murder trial day 2 recap: Witness describes family

Jason Spillars, a friend and former co-worker of Driver’s, provided testimony Wednesday about her connection to Benyamin Ben Michael, known as “Z.” Spillars described Z’s polygamous lifestyle and claimed that Z had relationships with three women, including Driver. Spillars painted a picture of Z’s household as harmonious and supportive, with the women willingly embracing their unconventional family structure, practicing veganism, and even participating in unorthodox health rituals.

Spillars’ testimony touched on controversial aspects of the group’s lifestyle, including “dark therapy” and traditional gender roles. He stated that the women were satisfied with their roles and emphasized Z’s influence, claiming that Driver’s involvement was voluntary and based on shared beliefs rather than coercion. He noted that Driver often experienced periods of mental distress, occasionally requiring intervention.

Recalling his time with Hannah, Spillars became emotional and portrayed Driver as a loving mother who genuinely cared for her child. His testimony took a darker turn when he described a change in the driver’s behavior, marked by increasing delusions and paranoia. Spillars recalled a moment when Driver expressed an overwhelming need to protect Hannah, a mentality that intensified in the weeks before the fatal incident.

The prosecutor’s questioning was then moved to December 2020, the day of Hannah’s death. Spillars described the horrific scene he witnessed after hearing Z scream. When he entered the room he found blood everywhere, Z attempted CPR and Hannah made a faint gurgling sound. He recalled Driver’s injuries and her chilling words, “I should die,” as he tried to stop her bleeding.

Dr. Asif Choudhary, a psychiatrist, provided insight into the driver’s mental state prior to the incident. Choudhary testified that Driver confided feelings of entrapment, isolation and a growing fear of her partner. His notes revealed that Driver saw herself and her family as characters in a “movie we can rewind,” expressing paranoia and an increasing sense of disconnect from reality.

An emergency room physician, Dr. Carli Blomquist, described the medical team’s failed attempts to revive Hannah. She recounted the grim scene, noting the severity of Hannah’s wounds and her observation that the child had lost a significant amount of blood by the time she arrived at the hospital.

Dr. Lora Darrisaw, a forensic pathologist with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, detailed her autopsy findings. Darrisaw confirmed multiple stab wounds, including one that had entered Hannah’s spine. The nature of these injuries underlined the severity of the attack and painted a grim picture of Hannah’s final moments.

Chloe Driver Murder Trial Day 1 Recap: Opening Statements

The murder trial began on Tuesday with emotional testimony from witnesses and emergency workers. The driver, a 20-year-old from Cherokee County, was found with her daughter in an upstairs bedroom where officers responded to an emergency call. Despite doctors’ best efforts, Hannah succumbed to her injuries shortly after being taken to hospital.

Prosecutors allege Driver’s actions may have been influenced by extreme beliefs promoted by a polyamorous group she was involved with, which allegedly rejected modern medicine and adhered to strict lifestyle practices. However, Chief Deputy District Attorney Katie Groppe emphasized that these beliefs do not excuse the crime. The jury must determine whether Driver intended to kill her daughter, Groppe noted, describing the brutality of the alleged murder.

The defense focused on Driver’s mental state, arguing that she was under severe psychological distress, exacerbated by manipulative relationships within the group. Defense attorney Angela Trethaway acknowledged that Driver killed her daughter, but argued that her mental health should be a key factor in the jury’s decision on her guilt. Testimony from first responders, including Canton Police Officer Gary Pruitt, painted a chaotic picture of the scene, with body camera footage showing the moments he discovered both mother and child.

Further testimony from police investigators and paramedics detailed the physical evidence found, including the suspected murder weapon and Hannah’s injuries. Digital Forensics Commander Commander Lindsay Harris discussed analyzing Driver’s cell phone to understand her state of mind before the incident. The trial continues under Judge Ellen McElyea, with more testimony planned.