A third defendant was arraigned on Dec. 31 at 34th District Court in the 2017 shooting death of Egypt Covington in Van Buren Township.
Shandon R. Groom, 28, of Toledo, has been charged with homicide/felony murder and home invasion first degree on June 22, 2017 in Van Buren Township.
During the probable cause conference on Dec. 30 for the second defendant in the murder case, Shane Lamar Evans, 31, of Sumpter Township, Judge Tina Brooks Green said it was her understanding there was a third defendant in the case.
She said they had tried to arraign the third defendant on Dec. 30, but there were difficulties at the jail where he was being held and the arraignment allegedly was to be Dec. 31.
Judge Green said the first co-defendant, Timothy Eugene Moore, 34, of Ohio, has a live exam set for Feb. 22-23 and she would like to get all three cases together.
She said the new defendant, who was yet to be named at the time, anywill get a probable cause conference date of Jan. 13 at 11 a.m. before Judge Lisa Martin. Judge Green said she would like to adjourn Evans to the same date.
She said she would talk to Judge Martin about the protective order issued on the discovery, which is voluminous.
Judge Green had ordered the suppression of the investigation report, the felony warrant, and the witness list for Moore and will do so for Evans, as well, along with the new defendant.
Judge Green said she is looking at adjourning the probable cause conferences to Feb. 10 or 17 for everybody to meet up to see where the COVID rules stand. She said she is not sure they will be able to have the live exam on Feb. 22 and 23, as planned.
Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Victoria Shackelford said it will be beneficial to have all three defendants and their three attorneys in place at the same time.
Judge Green adjourned Evans’ probable cause conference for two weeks, to Jan. 13, and she commented that she didn’t know if Moore’s attorney Kristina Joseph needs to be there.
Then, on Feb. 17 all three will be together by Zoom at 11 a.m. because they are all in custody without bond.
Prosecutor Shackelford said some of the evidence is too much to put on evidence.com, so defense attorney Watt is mailing her a hard drive to put it on.
Judge Green said she made a finding of “good cause” for waiving the 14-day rule to hold a preliminary exam because they couldn’t do anything live.
First, she said, defense attorney Watt doesn’t have time to go through the voluminous evidence, plus the COVID, plus, there’s a third defendant now. That is “good cause,” she said.
At a previous court session for Moore, Prosecutor Shackelford said there were 4,000 to 5,000 pages of discovery in that case and she expected to call 10 witnesses during the two-day preliminary exam that had been set for Feb. 22-23.
Michigan State Police Detective / Sergeant James Plummer is the officer in charge of the cases.
Adam Kenneth Sierota
Adam Kenneth Sierota, 35, of Van Buren Township, was before Judge Green on Dec. 30 for his probable cause conference on charges of assaulting / resisting / obstructing a police officer and domestic violence on Dec. 16 in Van Buren Township.
A remote pretrial was set for Feb. 5 at 10:30 a.m. before Judge Green.
His court-appointed defense attorney was Richard W. Glanda and he was free on $5,000 personal bond with a stipulation he must have no contact with the alleged victim or his home address.
Sierota also has a domestic violence case from Nov. 19 at the same address that has an upcoming remote pre-trial by Zoom before Judge Green also on Feb. 5. Personal bond of $1,000 was set in this case, also with a no contact stipulation for no contact with the alleged victim or Sierota’s home address.
Chelsey Alison Suggs
Chelsey Alison Suggs, 33, of Taylor is facing charges of possession of analogues and operating while intoxicated/impaired with a controlled substance-2nd offense on Feb. 16 in the City of Belleville.
Judge Oakley adjourned her Zoom probable cause conference to Nov. 25. At that time the preliminary exam was waived and Suggs was bound over to circuit court for a Dec. 9 arraignment on the information. A pre-trial session was set for Jan. 22 before Circuit Court Judge Mariam Bazzi. Defense attorney is Edward Holmberg and Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor was Lori Mireles-Smith. Suggs is free on $2,000 personal bond.
Scott Cleveland Turner
Scott Cleveland Turner, 40, of Van Buren Township, is facing a charge of retail fraud-1st degree on March 18 in Van Buren Township. He is free on $10,000 personal bond.
On Nov. 4, Judge Oakley adjourned his probable cause conference to Nov. 18 due to an issue with discovery. On Nov. 18 defense attorney Henry Schneider of the Neighborhood Defender Service said he now had full discovery. They waived the preliminary exam and the case was bound over to circuit court for a Dec. 2 arraignment on the information.
Jason Robert Waarala
Jason Robert Waarala, 46, of Van Buren Township is facing two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon (felonious assault) on Oct. 7 in Van Buren Township.
Judge Oakley adjourned his Nov. 4 probable cause conference until Dec. 2 due to issues with the defense attorney getting discovery. On Dec. 2, defense attorney Stephen Adams said his client wished an in-person preliminary exam. Judge Oakley said that would be set after Jan. 1. Waarala is free on $5,000 personal bond.
Adams said he would like a plea deal on the charges from the new Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Jane Gillis and Gillis said she would look into it.
Ronald Joseph Webb
Ronald Joseph Webb, 56, of Van Buren Township, faces charges of home invasion-1st degree and assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder on July 10 in Van Buren Township.
On Nov. 4, Judge Oakley adjourned his probable cause conference to Nov. 18 because of problems with the defense getting discovery. On Nov. 18, defense attorney Robert Burton-Harris of the Neighborhood Defense Service said he had the discovery and they would like an in-person preliminary exam. Judge Oakley said it will be scheduled after Jan. 1.
Kaprice Daney Parker
Kaprice Daney Parker, 37, of Westland, faces a charge of breaking and entering a vehicle with damage to vehicle on Aug. 10, 2019 in Van Buren Township. She is free on $2,500 personal bond.
Parker’s probable cause conference was scheduled for Nov. 25. At that time the conference was adjourned to Dec. 9 because defense attorney Claude M. Chapman said he has yet to get any discovery. Judge Green said she would adjourn the conference to Dec. 9 and would entertain a motion to dismiss the charges then if there is no discovery. The newly assigned Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor is Jane Gillis and Judge Green said she wanted to give her a chance to get the discovery to Chapman.
On Dec. 9, Chapman again said he didn’t receive any discovery and renewed a motion to dismiss the charges without prejudice.
Prosecutor Gillis said it was emailed to him on Nov. 25, right after the last court session. “I didn’t receive it,” Chapman insisted.
Judge Green said Gillis is an officer of the court and she takes her word on this. Gillis said she could give him the police department where he could go to get the discovery. “I’m in my office right now and I don’t have it,” Chapman insisted. Judge Green asked Gillis to email it to Chapman again and Gillis made sure the address was right and sent it again.
Judge Green reset the probable cause conference to Jan. 13 in front of Judge Lisa Martin.
Quann Alexander Patterson
Quann Alexander Patterson, 33, of Ypsilanti is facing charges of possession of firearms by a felon, weapons-felony firearm, carrying a concealed weapon, and operating while intoxicated / impaired / controlled substance – 2nd offense on Sept. 26 in Van Buren Township.
Defense attorney is Stephanie Farkas of the Neighborhood Defense Service of Detroit. Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor was Lori Mireles-Smith.
On Nov. 4 Farkas told Judge Oakley that her client would like a live exam. It was set for 2:30 p.m. on Dec. 16 and then removed from the calendar and reset for a new date to be determined after Jan. 1.
Tiara Renea Malone
Tiara Renea Malone of Eastpointe had a live exam set for 8:30 a.m. Nov. 23. Her attorney, Glen Oh of the Neighborhood Defender Service of Detroit, said he was told there is no digital discovery available.
She is facing a charge of assault with a dangerous weapon (felonious assault) on Aug. 24, 2019 in Van Buren Township. Malone is free after posting bond of $3,000/10%.
On Nov. 11, the exam was removed from the calendar and will be rescheduled. The case status will be reviewed Feb. 25.
Bianca Ilianalydia Martinez
Bianca Ilianalydia Martinez, 34, of Ecorse who was facing charges of operating while intoxicated – 3rd offense and having an open alcohol container in a vehicle on Oct. 21, 2019 in Van Buren Township accepted a plea deal before Judge Green on Nov. 9.
She pled guilty to a reduced charge of operating while intoxicated – 2nd offense and the open intoxicant charge was dismissed. She will be entering the 25th District Court Sobriety Court and be on two years of probation. Before completion of probation she will serve 60-90 days in jail or be put on a work-release program, if available. Judge Green said parts of this could be postponed because of the pandemic. Martinez was sent to the probation department for a review and she was to be back before Judge Green for formal sentencing.
Calvin David Howard
Calvin David Howard, 36, of Van Buren Township, did not show up on Nov. 9 for his probable cause conference and his appointed attorney J. Parker of the Neighborhood Defender Service told Judge Green that he has had trouble contacting his client.
Judge Green said she would put Howard in her bench-warrant file because he definitely was a no-show. “If he reaches out, we will reset,” Judge Green said.
Howard is charged with two counts of operating while intoxicated – third offense, and driving while license suspended, revoked or denied on Feb. 28 in Van Buren Township. He also was arraigned on a bench warrant Nov. 2 for a previous failure to appear.
Howard also is scheduled for a remote pre-trial before Judge Green on Jan. 7 for a charge of driving while license suspended on May 22 in the City of Belleville. He failed to appear for a Sept. 9 court date on that charge and was arraigned on a bench warrant Nov. 2 for not showing up.
Brian Jamarr Hicks
Brian Jamarr Hicks, 29, of Fort Pierce, FL, accepted a plea bargain before Judge Green on a Feb. 3, 2014 charge of domestic violence in Van Buren Township. He pled no-contest to disorderly person/jostling and that charge is deferred for six months and will be erased from his record if no new charges are filed against him. Hicks told Judge Green he couldn’t remember the incident and so he couldn’t plead guilty.
Judge Green said his costs were $300 and he could pay $50 a month.
Hicks was scheduled to have a live bench trial on Nov. 10, but the plea was offered by Assistant Wayne County Prosecutor Larry King. The VBT officer in charge of the case was Ken Toney, who has since retired from VBT and now is an officer in Sumpter Township.
Diamond Lashe Hamilton
Charges of assault and domestic violence against Diamond Lashe Hamilton, 32, of Van Buren Township, were dismissed Dec. 2 when the complaining witness did not wish to pursue the charges.
She was charged after an incident on Sept. 27 in Van Buren Township. Everyone was waiting to begin the Zoom preliminary exam before Judge Oakley, when Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Darrian Fortier said she just spoke with the complaining witness and without that witness she was unable to proceed.
Judge Oakley said the charges could be refiled in the future.
Keenan Deshon Black
Keenan Deshon Black of Taylor had his Dec. 2 probable cause conference adjourned until Dec. 23 because his defense attorney Cheryl Quick of the Neighborhood Defense Service had received no discovery and she needs video and paper evidence.
Black is charged with embezzlement by an agent or trustee, between $1,000 and $20,000, on Jan. 3, 2020 in Van Buren Township. He is free on $2,500 personal bond.
On Dec. 23, his probable cause conference was adjourned by Judge Green until Jan. 13 before Judge Lisa Martin.
Andres Daniel Duran-Escamilla
Andres Daniel Duran-Escamilla of Detroit is in ICE custody and appointed defense attorney Cheryl Quick said she was having a heck of a time getting a visit. Perhaps they could do it by Zoom, she said.
Judge Oakley told Quick at the Dec. 2 date of the probable cause conference to find out where her client is being held and his clerk will set up the probable cause conference. It was adjourned to Dec. 21, but then found Calhoun County Jail does not do hearings on Mondays, so it was adjourned to Dec. 23. That didn’t work so a new date will be set.
Duran-Escamilla is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon (felonious assault) on Oct. 6 in Van Buren Township. On Nov. 17, he posted $200, the 10% on his $2,000 bond, and was free when he was taken into custody by ICE.
Avery Lamark Holliman
Avery Lamark Holliman, 23, of Ypsilanti has his probable cause conference adjourned until Dec. 23 because his defense attorney Cheryl Quick said she still was missing some discovery. She especially wanted discovery from the body-worn cameras of the Van Buren Township police and the search warrant on her client’s phone or the witness’ phone. She said she has the paper discovery.
Holliman is charged with assault with intent to murder, assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder, and two charges of felony firearm on Oct. 12 in Van Buren Township. He attended his hearing from the Wayne County Jail where he is being held on $250,000 cash or surety bond.
At the Dec. 23 probable cause conference, Holliman’s new attorney Christopher Sinclair said there may be more discovery coming, but he was asking for an in-person preliminary exam. Judge Green said the live exams are being set in January and she said she could give him no firm date yet but will try to get a priority for his case since Holliman is incarcerated.
Michael Ray Malone, Jr.
Michael Ray Malone, Jr., 22, of Westland and previously of Sumpter Township, is charged with carrying a concealed weapon and driving while license suspended on Oct. 13 in the City of Belleville.
On Dec. 2, his defense attorney Glen Oh of Neighborhood Defender Service said he needed a copy of the police dashcam from the incident and will be writing a CCW Diversion request. Judge Oakley adjourned the probable cause conference until Dec. 16. On Dec. 16, Oh waived his client’s preliminary exam. Malone’s arraignment on the information was set for Dec. 30 at the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice. He is free on $2,500 personal bond.
Oh said he is pursuing the Holmes Youthful Training Act for his client and will write a gun-board letter.
Robert James Johnson
Robert James Johnson, 42, of Ypsilanti, will have a live preliminary exam sometime after the first of the year on two charges of criminal sexual conduct and felony firearm on Aug. 28 in Sumpter Township.
He is free on $5,000 personal bond and GPS tether. Defense attorney is Robert Elmen and Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor is Nida Simona.
At his probable cause conference on Dec. 9, Elmen said there is an outstanding DNA test and Simona said Michigan State Police are behind on lab work.
Judge Green said the defense will want a live exam, so she put the request in the stack for January, with dates yet to be set.
Austin Robert Vivrette
Austin Robert Vivrette, 23, of Van Buren Township requested a live preliminary exam and he will be advised in January of the date.
Vivrette is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon (felonious assault) and felony firearm on Aug. 28 in Van Buren Township. He is free after paying his $5,000/10% bond. Defense attorney is Joseph Hall.
Todd Bennett Squires
Todd Bennett Squires, 56, of Ypsilanti will have his Zoom preliminary exam at 11 a.m., Jan. 4. He is charged with operating while intoxicated – 3rd offense, failure to stop after a collision, and driving while license suspended – 2nd offense on Feb. 6 in Van Buren Township.
Squires turned himself in to Van Buren Township police on Nov. 24 and he is free on $2,500 personal bond. His defense attorney David Goldstein said he has yet to receive discovery. Prosecutor Gillis said it’s been scanned in and he should request it from the discovery portal. She said she would check for videos.
His probable cause conference was held Dec. 9 by Zoom in front of Judge Green.
Michael Francis Dennany
The case of Michael Francis Dennany, 20, of Kalamazoo was before Judge Oakley on Dec. 16 for his probable cause conference by Zoom. His attorney James Goulooze said his client has decided to waive his preliminary exam and proceed to circuit court for an arraignment on the information. Judge Oakley set that date for Dec. 30.
Dennany is charged with assault to do great bodily harm less than murder, aggravated domestic violence, and malicious destruction of personal property more than $200 on Dec. 6 in Van Buren Township.
Goulooze said his client qualifies for the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act which he will seek at circuit court. Dennany is free on $5,000 personal bond, which stipulates he must have no contact with the victim and to not return to Wayne County.
David Osmond Brown
David Osmond Brown, 52, of Sumpter Township, had his probable cause conference set for Dec. 16 adjourned to Jan. 6 to get the terms of a plea deal finalized. Attendance at Sobriety Court is a part of the proposed deal.
Brown is charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated / impaired by a controlled substance – 3rd offense, a felony, on June 25 in Sumpter Township. He is free on $10,000 personal bond.
Andre Maurice Smith, Jr.
Andre Maurice Smith, Jr., 22, of Detroit asked for a live preliminary exam on charges of fleeing police in a vehicle and driving without a license on Dec. 5 in Van Buren Township. This was before Judge Oakley on Dec. 16 during his probable cause conference.
Judge Oakley said he would put them with the others who want live exams and they will be set in January. Smith is free on personal bond of $5,000. Defense attorney is Randall Upshaw.