Court Watching: Langford bound over for safe-breaking, home invasion in Belleville

Larry Wayne Langford, Jr., 44, of Detroit appeared on Sept. 1 from the Wayne County Jail where he is being held on bond of $100,000/10% on seven felony charges and one misdemeanor having to do with a break-in in Belle Villa mobile home park in the City of Belleville on Aug. 9.
Judge Oakley set his live preliminary exam for Oct. 6. He said he would leave the bond in place because these are “pretty serious charges.” On Oct. 6, the exam was adjourned until Oct. 13, because the Wayne County Jail did not transport him to be present because he was on a COVID-lockdown floor.
Defense attorney Kendrick Riggins asked for a reduction in bonds, which had been set at $50,000/10% and $100,000/10%. He said his client has a drug addiction and this was a crime of opportunity. He said Langford is a tattoo artist and has won awards. He has diabetes and there is a resurgence of COVID in the jail. He has been in jail for three months and he has dried out. He asked for personal bond.
Langford told Judge Oakley that his wife is trying to make ends meet and keep the house.
Judge Oakley reduced the bond to $50,000 personal on each of the two cases with a GPS tether and house arrest. The bond was conditioned on having no contact with the home invasion site or the owner.
Langford is charged with safe breaking, first-degree home invasion, possessing burglar tools, and two counts of stealing a financial transaction device on Aug. 9. He also is charged with police officer assault and escaping lawful custody on Aug. 10.
On Oct. 13, the date of his preliminary exam, Langford waived the exam and Judge Oakley bound him over to circuit court for an Oct. 20 arraignment on the information.
Assistant Wayne County Prosecutor Alexander Kurrie said safe breaking is a life offense and normally they would hold an exam on the charges, but this was superceded by his superiors. He said the prosecution has a witness ready to testify.
Judge Oakley said he thinks this is his first safe-breaking case in his 37 years in law. He said he was surprised to learn being convicted of the charge could bring life in prison.