Court Watching: Judge Parrott binds Fisher over for trial on seven sex charges

On Sept. 19, 34th District Court Judge David Parrott presided over a lengthy preliminary exam for John Phillip Fisher, 80, of Van Buren Township, on seven charges of criminal sexual conduct and then bound him over to circuit court for trial.
After hearing the evidence, Judge Parrott revoked Fisher’s bond and also revoked Fisher’s house arrest. Judge Parrott denied Fisher bond completely and ordered he be taken into immediate custody. Fisher was free after posting bond of $50,000/10%.
His arraignment on the information was set for Sept. 26 at the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice.
Fisher is on a walker, is hard of hearing, has eye problems, and has had heart surgery. When he asked his retained defense attorney Pamela Tracy if he was going home, she said no, he was going back to the infirmary at the jail.
He is accused of molesting his granddaughter since she was four years old until this year. She is now 16.
Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Jacqueline Nicholas from the Sex Crimes Unit entered her final piece of evidence, a disc containing an interview with Fisher by VBT Police Sgt. Jeff Stanton.
There were technical difficulties in the courtroom so Judge Parrott took the disc into his office to hear the interview.
When he returned Prosecutor Nicholas made a motion to bind Fisher over on all seven felony counts and Judge Parrott bound him over and had him immediately taken into custody. Of the disc, Judge Parrott said: “An admission. That’s all I can call it. … Guilt is evident from the testimony and the interview.”
Felony charges against Fisher are: one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct (person under 13), two counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct (person under 13), two counts of second degree criminal sexual conduct (relationship) and two counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct (incest).
If found guilty, Fisher could be sentenced to life in prison.
The granddaughter, her mother, Detective Donovan McCarthy, and Officer Stanton testified in the preliminary exam before Judge Parrott.
The granddaughter said the adults around her said that the grandfather was a “dirty old man” and “just lonely” when he told the off-color jokes and patted the butts of girls in their presence. The granddaughter did not tell her mother about the rest of it until earlier this year and the mother immediately went to Van Buren Township police.
Scott David Matthews
Scott David Matthews, 36, waived his preliminary exam on a felony charge of domestic violence in VBT on March 5 and was due at the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice on Oct. 3 for an arraignment on the information. Although Matthews had a personal recognizance bond on this charge from the 34th District Court, he had been brought to court from the Washtenaw County Jail where he was incarcerated on another charge.
Andre Duane Dew, Jr.
Andre Duane Dew, Jr., 29, waived his preliminary exam on a charge of operating while intoxicated – third in the City of Belleville on May 26. He is due at the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice for an arraignment on the information Sept. 26. He was brought to Judge Parrott’s court from the Wayne County Jail where he is lodged on bond of $3,500/10%.