Court Watching: Judge Parrott signs bench warrant when Chapman doesn’t show

James Forrest Chapman, 57, failed to show up for his pretrial session at 34th District Court on July 5 on a new misdemeanor charge of failing to provide a DNA sample. This is his third DNA charge.
Judge David Parrott signed a bench warrant for Chapman’s arrest for failure to be present in court for the required pretrial.
At a June 21 motion hearing before 34th District Court Judge Brian A. Oakley, Chapman had a motion to dismiss he had written that the judge allowed him to apply to a felony charge of assaulting/resisting/obstructing a police officer last summer, and two misdemeanor charges of failing to provide a DNA profile, one from 2015 and one from 2016.
The preliminary exam on the refiled charges from 2016 had been set for June 21 and Judge Oakley allowed Chapman to put his motion for dismissal toward all three charges. The judge then reset the motion hearing and the preliminary exam for 11 a.m., July 12.
There was some confusion at the court on July 5 when a DNA charge appeared on the docket, but when it was learned the DNA charge is a new charge – Chapman’s third DNA refusal – the bench warrant was issued.
Chapman’s DNA refusal from 2016 was dismissed earlier this year when Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Margaret Van Houten dismissed without prejudice the felony police obstruction and the misdemeanor DNA charges against him. The jury was ready to be seated when a VBT police officer failed to show up to testify at the trial. The officer was not subpoenaed and was at the other side of the state at a once-a-year state training for marine officers.
The Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office reissued the original charges and when Chapman again refused to give a DNA sample, he was charged one more time. Officer in charge of that case is Van Buren Township Detective Mike Long.
On July 10, Judge Van Houten signed a warrant for Chapman’s arrest on a new violation of probation charge for recently pleading guilty on a dog license case, a criminal misdemeanor.
Also, Chapman has a scheduled July 27 court date for a driving while license suspended charge out of Sumpter Township.
Shaunda Renee Wyche
Shaunda Renee Wyche, 24, waived her preliminary exam for carrying a concealed weapon on June 4 in Sumpter Township. She is free after posting bond. Sumpter Detective/Corporal John Ashby is officer in charge of the case.
Her court-appointed attorney David Langford told Judge Parrott that she has a possibility of a HYDA (Holmes Youthful Trainee Act) sentence at circuit court, so she will go right on to the higher court and not hold a preliminary exam at district court.
Xzavier Marquette Stone
Xzavier Marquette Stone, 17, was present for his probable cause conference, on a charge of stealing or retaining a financial transaction device without consent on Nov. 8 in Van Buren Township.
His retained defense attorney Mohammed Nasser asked Judge Parrott to adjourn the case for a week because he is awaiting surveillance video to study and there is a possible resolution with the prosecution.
Judge Parrott adjourned the probable cause conference to July 19 and the preliminary exam to July 26. He also advised them that there was an order for finger printing and so Stone would have to see to that.
Stone is free on $5,000 personal recognizance bond and the bond was continued. Officer in charge of the case is VBT Detective Donovan McCarthy.
Diane Marie Messina
Diane Marie Messina, 62, waived her preliminary exam on a charge of embezzlement of $20,000 or more, as an agent, on Jan. 1 in Van Buren Township. Judge Parrott bound her over to circuit court for a July 19 arraignment on the information.
She is free after posting bond of $10,000/10%. Officer in charge of the case is VBT Detective Mike Long.
Alec Joseph Maly
Alec Joseph Maly, 25, was due for his probable cause conference on charges of being in possession of a controlled substance (narcotic or cocaine), operating while intoxicated, and failure to stop at a personal injury accident in Van Buren Township on Oct. 10, 2013. The warrant was authorized in December 2016.
The defense attorney asked to adjourn the probable cause conference for one week so the prosecutor can go over the information for a possible plea deal. Judge Parrott adjourned the pcc until July 19 and set the preliminary exam for July 26. Maly has posted his $5,000/10% bond.
VBT Detective Donovan McCarthy is the officer in charge of the case.
Jacob Jesus Delmarco
Jacob Jesus Delmarco was scheduled for his probable cause conference on charges of embezzlement and false pretenses in Sumpter Township, but did not show up for court. Judge Parrott signed a bench warrant for his arrest and set a $20,000/10% bond.
Samuel Lewis Ward
Samuel Lewis Ward, 37, was scheduled for his preliminary exam on July 5 on a charge of tampering with an electric monitoring device on Nov. 7 in Van Buren Township.
He is lodged in the Wayne County Jail on three controlled substance charges and a charge of assaulting / resisting / obstructing a police officer, all in Inkster on June 8.
His bond in 34th District Court is 10,000/10%. Harold Collins, his court-appointed attorney, asked Judge Parrott to adjourn the exam to 10 a.m., July 26, for a motion hearing/preliminary exam, and Judge Parrott granted the request.
VBT Detective Donovan McCarthy is the officer in charge of the case.
Michael Edwin Way
Michael Edwin Way, 39, was due for a preliminary exam before Judge Tina Brooks Green on June 28 on his domestic violence felony charge from Dec. 22 in Sumpter Township. But the charge was dismissed without prejudice when the victim didn’t show up to testify. It is unsure whether police will seek to refile the charge.
Officer in charge of the case was Sumpter Sgt. Christopher McGlynn.