Court Watching: Exams adjourned until Feb. 12 for Titia Redmond, Brenna Reed

A vital witness could not testify in preliminary exams against codefendants Titia Maria Redmond, 42, of Ferndale and Brenna Katricia Reed, 33, of Detroit, because the man was in mandatory job training and couldn’t be present before 34th District Court Judge Brian Oakley on Dec. 11.
The two each are charged with doing from $1,000 to $20,000 worth of damage to two cars parked in the Constellium parking lot in Van Buren Township on Sept. 2. Redmond was free on $5,000 personal bond and Reed posted bond of $5,000/10%. Both were defended by retained attorney David Cripps.
Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Kiefer Cox said two of the witnesses were present, but he asked to have the exam adjourned to another date when the third witness could be present.
“I’m not going to adjourn,” said Judge Oakley. “We could start the exam now and get the third witness another day. Or, dismiss the charges and refile later.”
Defense attorney Cripps made a motion to dismiss the charges. Prosecutor Cox said they could hold the exam now for the two witnesses and then hear the third witness later.
The first witness was Stacey Felder who testified she drove her car to work at Constellium Automotive, 6331 E. Schooner Dr., Van Buren Township, and arrived between 5:40 and 5:50 a.m. to begin her 6 a.m. shift on Sept. 2. She said at about 6:30 a coworker who was her friend came and told her that her car had been damaged.
She testified she went to her supervisor, George Jackson, and they went out to see that four tires were flat on her 2013 Mercedes C300 AMG. Also, the windshield was broken, the driver’s window broken out, and the hood dented. She had it taken on a flatbed truck to Jack Demmer Collision Shop in Dearborn the next day. The shop gave an assessment that there was $20,414.21 in damages, a total loss.
She said she had to put a down payment to buy a different used car, her insurance went up $200, and she lost her job.
“My life changed when these two girls tore up my car,” she testified, adding, “I’m going to counseling right now.” She said she had worked as a production worker at Constellium.
She identified her two coworkers who were the defendants and said she had ongoing issues with them, especially Redmond. She said Redmond slapped her on Aug. 11 and it was on camera and they all had a meeting with Human Resources.
Felder said Progressive Insurance paid off most of her note, leaving $244 for her to pay.
The second witness was Grace Moore, whose daughter, Cameron Seeger, worked at Constellium. She testified her daughter drove her mother’s 2005 Chevy Equinox to work on Sept. 2. The car was in the parking lot at Constellium and had its front windshield, driver’s side and rear windows broken out and all four tires flattened, along with a broken tail light.
Moore said the car was towed to her home and her husband met her daughter at work. She said she works in a casino and left for work at 3 a.m. that day. By the time she got home, her car was back in her drive with all its damages.
She said while the car had insurance, she did not file a claim but replaced the four tires at Sam’s Club for over $800, spent $250 for the windows, and got a $150 estimate on the tail light.
After the schedules of the attorneys involved were checked, the final witness was scheduled before Judge Oakley at 11 a.m., Feb. 12.
Van Buren Township Officer Dale Harrison is the officer in charge of the case.
Vern Terrell Wells
A charge of assault with intent to do great physical harm less than murder in VBT on Sept. 21 was dismissed against Vern Terrell Wells, 55, of Taylor, because the prosecutor was not ready to proceed.
On Dec. 11, Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Keifer Cox told Judge Oakley that the victim was subpoenaed and they don’t know why the victim isn’t present. The charge was dismissed without prejudice, which means it could be refiled in the future.
Officer in charge of the case was VBT Officer William Bettendorf. Defense attorney was Stephanie Farkas from the Neighborhood Defense program.
Chase Antonio Morgan
Chase Antonio Morgan, 17, of Ypsilanti waived his preliminary exam and was bound over to circuit court on Jan. 8 for an arraignment on the information. He is charged with accessory after the fact to a felony on Oct. 14 in Van Buren Township. Morgan was bound over by Magistrate Lisa Martin on Dec. 11.
His co-defendant is Sean Demetrius Elliott, 18, of VBT, who is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon (felonious assault) and weapons/felony firearm on Oct. 14 in VBT. Elliott waived his exam on Nov. 13, had his arraignment on the information in circuit court on Nov. 27 and had a calendar conference set for Dec. 13.