The trial of the man charged in the murder/arson of Van Buren Township senior citizen Frances Cothern has been adjourned until Oct. 22 at the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice in Detroit.
Michael Bush, 25, of Sumpter Township faces felony murder and arson charges in the Nov. 18, 2008 death of the popular 89-year-old woman in her home at 41780 Bemis.
The trial had been scheduled to begin Sept. 30 before Circuit Court Judge Annette Berry, but several complications arose. First, Judge Berry is in the middle of another murder trial.
Also, Bush’s attorney Gabi Silver wants another psychiatric study of her client to see if he was criminally insane at the time of the murder.
Mrs. Cathorne’s daughter Ruth Claxton said Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Cory Newman told her the proceedings also are being delayed by some paperwork that didn’t come in as scheduled.
Claxton said she hopes the trial will begin on scheduled Oct. 22, since it has been almost a year since her mother died. The burned house has been demolished and rebuilding is beginning.
Court sessions have been delayed over and over since Bush was arrested on the night of the murder. He has been held without bond in the Wayne County Jail since November.
His preliminary exam in 34th District Court was delayed from December to May, for two separate psychiatric exams. He was deemed competent to stand trial. Then the exam was delayed until June 3, because the arson expert who was due to testify could not be present.
According to the medical examiner’s testimony, Mrs. Cothern died of blunt force trauma to her head and neck, and smoke and soot inhalation, showing she was alive and breathing when two fires were set in her home.
Van Buren Police say Bush caused the death of Frances Cothern and set her house on fire to hide the robbery and murder.
Police said after setting the fire, Bush then went to a friend’s home and held the family hostage with a long gun briefly before being taken into custody. Police said Bush had in his possession a prescription bottle with Mrs. Cothern’s name and address on it, along with other of her possessions.
Bush also reportedly told his friends he had just robbed a woman and set her house on fire.