Court Watching: Judge Parrott binds ‘homeless’ 17-year-old defendant over for trial

At 34th District Court on June 6, Dontao Eugene Cavins, 17, waived his preliminary exam by video from the Wayne County Jail where he is being lodged on $5,000/10% bond.
Judge David Parrott scheduled him for arraignment on the information in the warrant and police report on June 13 at the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice.
Cavins is charged with unlawful driving away of a motor vehicle, larceny in a building, and unlawful use of a motor vehicle in Sumpter Township on May 20.
His court-appointed attorney said this was Cavins’ first felony offense and the car was recovered and belonged to a family member. He asked for his client to get personal bond so he wouldn’t have to spend any more time in the Wayne County Jail, “which is not a good place for a 17 year old.”
But the Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor said Cavins has had numerous contacts with the police and is homeless, “So I don’t know where he would go … literally he would be on the street.” The prosecutor also said $5,000/10% bond is pretty reasonable.
“I have a place to stay,” Cavins called out through the video.
“If he were at Dickerson it would be different,” the defense attorney said referring to another county jail site. “But he’s in the Wayne County Jail with robbers and killers and he’s only 17.”
Judge Parrott referred Cavins to pretrial services for a bond review and continued the bond as set.
James Robert Bullock
James Robert Bullock, 49, did not show up for his probable cause conference and so Judge Parrott signed a bench warrant for his arrest. Bullock had been out on personal recognizance bond of $10,000 and that was revoked.
Bullock is charged with operating with a high blood alcohol content, fleeing police in a vehicle, driving while license suspended-2nd and ORV-open intoxicants on June 13, 2016 in Sumpter Township.
Matthew Ramiro Sanchez
Matthew Ramiro Sanchez, 34, had his preliminary exam adjourned until June 20 on a charge of operating while intoxicated-3rd in Belleville on May 2. He is free after posting $10,000/10% bond. His retained attorney is Theodore Metry but another lawyer stood in for Metry at the court session.
Kirsten Kathleen Flatley
Kirsten Kathleen Flatley told Judge Parrott she has just hired attorney Jim Murray and so her probable cause conference was adjourned to June 13 and her preliminary exam to June 20. Judge Parrott told her the file shows she needs to be fingerprinted so she should go to the Belleville Police Department for that.
She is charged with unlawful use in the City of Belleville.