Court Watching: Plea deal pending for habitual offender Antoine Lamar Lang

By Diane Madigan
Independent Court Reporter
In the 34th District Court courtroom of Chief Judge Tina Brooks Green on April 9, the following tri-community cases were among those she handled:
Van Buren Township
Antoine Lamar Lang, 34, while on probation, was arrested by Van Buren Township police on Feb. 16 and charged with receiving and concealing stolen property, larceny, domestic violence, and assault and battery.
Lang was brought to court from Wayne County Jail where he is being held. Known as a habitual offender, Lang has been arrested 11 times since 2003 in Wayne County.
Assitant Wayne County Prosecutor Carrie Butoric worked out a deal with Lang’s court appointed attorney David Lankford to set aside Lang’s felony charges which would be dealt with through his probation violation. Judge Green scheduled a preliminary exam on April 30 in her courtroom.
David Steven Parton, 40, also being lodged at Wayne County Jail and known as a habitual offender, was arrested on March 28 while on probation by VBT police for first-degree retail fraud.
Parton’s court-appointed attorney David Lankford said his client wished to waive his preliminary examination and so Judge Green bound Parton over to circuit court for an arraignment on the information on April 16.
Pamela Joanne Pelland, 55, is being held at Wayne County Jail on a retail fraud charge after being arrested by VBT police on March 27. Pelland was bound over to circuit court for an arraignment on the information on April 16. Pelland’s bond was set at $5,000/10%. Her court-attorney Lankford asked for a referral by pre-trial services.
Amber Lynn-Carolyn Pierce, 26, was arrested on March 21 on two controlled-substance drug charges: possession of a non-narcotic substance and possession of analogues.
Pierce did not show up for her preliminary exam on April 9, so Assistant Wayne County Prosecutor Ryan Lukiewski asked Judge Green for a habeas corpus order, to bring her to court.
Pierce’s court-appointed attorney Lankford asked that the charges be dismissed. He said he spoke with Pierce, and Pierce has four children and has problems with child care.
Judge Green ordered a bench warrant for Pierce telling Lankford that she must show up at least by the next morning (April 10).
Jeffrey Glen McFall, 26, who was arrested for domestic violence, had his pretrial exam adjourned/postponed until April 30.
Jacqueline Nicole Roth, 32, was arrested March 26 for possession of cocaine less than 25 grams and operating without a license. Under Michigan’s Law 333.7411 for first-time offenders, Judge Green delayed sentencing for 1 year and returned 90% of her $500 bond.
Sumpter Township
Michael Lee Crane, 37, was arrested by Sumpter Township police for operating while intoxicated-3rd and driving while license suspended.
Crane’s court-appointed attorney Lankford asked the prosecutor to lessen the charge, but his request was denied. Crane was bound over to circuit court for an April 23 arraignment on the information.
Daniel Neil Oliver, 35, was arrested by Sumpter police on Feb. 10 for a felony, operating while intoxicated-3rd, and a driving while license suspended-2nd warrant from Jan. 17.
Oliver, who is known as a habitual offender, is being held in the Wayne County Jail. After waiving his preliminary exam, an arraignment on the information was scheduled for April 23 at the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice.
Matthew Harrington Stiffler, 45, was arrested in Sumpter for unlawfully driving away a motor vehicle on March 21. He was out on $4,500 personal recognizance bond but did not show up for his preliminary exam. Judge Green issued a bench warrant for his arrest.
City of Belleville
April Sibbitt was due to be arraigned and a have a pretrial exam for child abuse-4 and assault and battery. Sibbitt did not show up at court so Judge Green issued a bench warrant for her arrest.
What is a preliminary exam?
A preliminary exam at district court is an evidentiary hearing for felonies where the prosecutor must present evidence amounting to at least probable cause that the charged felony crime(s) in fact occurred and that the defendant committed it (them). Generally, the prosecutor presents just a fraction of his total evidence and witnesses.
If the prosecutor meets his burden of proof, the case is “bound over” to circuit court for arraignment on the information and possible trial.