Court Watching: Accused armed robber has preliminary exam adjourned until Nov. 20

By Rosemary K. Otzman, Independent Editor, and
Diane Madigan, Court Reporter
A preliminary exam in 34th District Court has been adjourned until Nov. 20 for the man charged with the Oct. 24 armed robbery of the Health Smart Pharmacy on Belleville Road.
Michael Earl-Chavis Lee, 29, of Lincoln Park was charged with three counts of armed robbery, one count of assault with a dangerous weapon (felonious assault) and one charge of weapons – felony firearm.
On Nov. 6, the date set for his preliminary exam, the attorney Lee’s girlfriend hired to defend him, Ronald McDuffie, was in circuit court in Detroit and couldn’t be present.
McDuffie sent attorney Charles Longstreet to fill in and ask for an adjournment, so McDuffie could appear. Judge Bryan Oakley granted the request after Lee waived his right to a preliminary exam within 14 days.
Lee had been held without bond since his arraignment on Oct. 26 and Judge Oakley set his bond at $250,000 or 10%.
Lee’s alleged accomplice that day was a 15-year-old male from Inkster, who was lodged in the Wayne County Youth Detention Center pending a Family Court hearing.
Anton Lamar Floyd
Also present for a preliminary exam on Nov. 6 was Anton Lamar Floyd, who was charged with home invasion – 2nd degree, of an occupied home in Sumpter Township on Aug. 4, 2011.
His fingerprint was found at the scene of a burglary where an X-Box, 10 video games, and other items were taken while the home occupants were away, said Sumpter Township Police Detective John Toth.
Floyd waived his preliminary exam and Judge Oakley scheduled the case for a Nov. 20 appearance at the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice in Detroit.
Floyd’s court-appointed attorney was Luke Skywalker.
Since Floyd has no felony record and said he didn’t know he had a warrant out for his arrest, Judge Oakley reduced his bond from the $75,000/10% to personal bond of $5,000/10%.
Jessie Aurelias Williams
The preliminary exam for Jessie Aurelias Williams, 28, of Ypsilanti was held before Judge Oakley on Nov. 6 and Van Buren Township Police Officer Alexander Schultz testified.
Williams is charged with two controlled substance offenses: possession of cocaine less than 25 grams and possession of marijuana.
He also was named an habitual offender. He was released from prison on April 14 after serving nine years for two drug charges, three armed robberies, and one unarmed robbery, all in Washtenaw County.
Officer Schultz testified he was in uniform standing behind Williams in line at the BP gas station at 11175 Haggerty Road on Oct. 18 and detected a strong odor of marijuana.
He said after Williams paid and turned around he seemed surprised to see a uniformed officer behind him.
Officer Schultz said Williams was standing in the general area of the front door when Schultz exited the store. Williams was near his patrol car and Schultz called to him to come over to him, and Williams did. Schultz said he was within one foot of Williams and the smell of raw marijuana was strong around Williams’ person. He acted nervous, Schultz said.
Schultz said he asked Williams if he had a medical marijuana card and he said he didn’t. Schultz said he saw a large bulge in the front pants pocket that he thought might be a weapon and so he searched Williams.
He said he found $1,400 in cash and a large bag of what he suspected to be crack cocaine in the side pocket and a small amount of marijuana. There was no weapon. Schultz placed him under arrest as Williams’ friends started to get out of their car.
Schultz said backup came to help him with the arrest and Williams’ friends drove off.
Schultz testified that Williams said the “crack cocaine” found was not real, but fake and that he said if he had had real drugs on him he wouldn’t have let the officer search him.
It was noted that a preliminary test at the police station showed it was cocaine. Schultz said the material was sent to the Michigan State Police lab for identification, but that might take six weeks.
Schultz emphasized the overwhelming odor of marijuana led to the arrest.
Williams’ attorney said the probable cause of arrest being the smell of marijuana would be taken up at the next level of the court.
Judge Oakley bound Williams over to a Nov. 20 court date at the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice for an arraignment on the information.