Court Watching: Lawson bound over to circuit court on charges in Parkwood shooting

Samantha Ann Lawson of Taylor was bound over to circuit court for a May 31 arraignment on the information on charges surrounding a shooting into a residence in Parkwood Apartments in Van Buren Township on April 19.
Lawson was before 34th District Court Chief Judge Brian A. Oakley on May 24 for a live preliminary exam on charges of assault with intent to murder, discharging a weapon in or at a building, assault with a dangerous weapon (felonious assault) and three counts of felony firearm.
On May 24, the prosecutor dismissed the assault with intent to murder charge and one weapons charge and proceeded on the other four charges.
Lawson had been in the Wayne County Jail since her arrest on April 26, unable to raise $75,000 cash bond.
Her defense attorney asked for a reduction of bond, saying she is a single mother and has three children, one of whom is disabled, and they are with her sister. He said she was not a danger to the community because the incident involved one person.
Judge Oakley reduced the bond to $75,000 personal and she was to have no contact with the victim or the site of the incident. She also was to wear a location tether so police would know where she was.
Judge Oakley also urged her to take care of her unpaid civil infraction on the court record.
Van Buren Township police were called to the 9100 block of Parkwood Dr. at about 2 a.m. on April 19, responding to multiple calls of gunshots in the area.
The female victim told officers that Lawson came to her residence to confront her verbally outside the residence concerning Lawson’s former boyfriend. Then Lawson reportedly went to her vehicle, retrieved a handgun, and fired at least one shot at the victim’s residence.
Police said there were multiple people inside the residence, including two children, but there were no reported injuries.