After a live, preliminary exam at 34th District Court on April 21 before Chief Judge Brian A. Oakley, Avery Lamark Holliman, 24, of Ypsilanti was bound over to circuit court at the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice for an arraignment on the information on May 5.
A final conference now has been set for Aug. 18 before Circuit Court Judge Catherine L. Heise.
Holliman is charged with assault with intent to murder, assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder, and two counts of felony firearm on Oct. 12 in Van Buren Township. His bond was $250,000 cash or surety, which was transferred to circuit court.
First witness called before Judge Oakley by Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Alex Kurrie was the victim, Badikissila Omni Luke Antoine, who said he uses the name “Luke.” He said on the night in question he was at his girlfriend’s home at Trilogy Apartments on North Bellridge Street. He said he got a call from Holliman who wanted to talk about an issue. Luke said he was sitting in a car in the parking lot smoking a cigarette.
Luke said he got out of the car and Holliman shot him in the back. He said he laid there and then Holliman shot him again. He said he ran to the apartment building and the door was locked. He said he was shot a third time and possibly a fourth time.
Luke testified his girlfriend opened the door and he got inside and she called police. He said a paramedic patched him up and there were two officers and two paramedics and he was taken to St. Joseph Mercy Hospital and he was put under anesthetic.
He testified he saw the pistol, which was a .38 mm that held eight rounds. He said he got shot six times after the first shot.
Second witness was Jordan Sutton, a HVA paramedic, who said she was called to the scene of a male with multiple gunshot wounds. She said the victim was upstairs lying on the ground and he had shots to his abdomen and leg. She said they got him on a sheet and took him to the ambulance. She said they started treatment through a major trauma and shock protocol and transported him to St. Joe, gave them a verbal report, and that was the end of her involvement. She testified she saw five gunshot wounds.
Third witness was VBT Police Officer Mark King, who said he found the gunshot victim on the second floor of the apartment building. He testified he found five gunshot wounds and there were two others on the back of his leg and they may have been exit wounds.
Defense attorney Christopher Sinclair said the victim said “Avery Hamilton” shot him and his client is not “Avery Hamilton.”
Prosecutor Kurrie said the victim identified the defendant in the courtroom as the one who shot him.
Judge Oakley bound Holliman over on all four charges. He said Luke identified his assailant by pointing the defendant out.
“Luke’s first language is not English and he did a real good job,” Judge Oakley said. He told Holliman there was to be no contact with the victim. He said the prosecutor had noted that there had been some anonymous contact and he wanted that to stop.
Quann Alexander Patterson
Quann Alexander Patterson, 33, of Ypsilanti also had his live preliminary exam before Judge Oakley on April 21 and was bound over for trial with a May 5 arraignment on the information at the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice. He went before Circuit Court Judge Chandra Baker with a notice of intent to enhance sentence. A final conference has been set for July 7.
Patterson is charged with possession of firearms by a felon, weapons-felony firearm, carrying a concealed weapon, and operating while intoxicated / impaired / controlled substance – 2nd offense on Sept. 26 in Van Buren Township.
Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Kurrie called VBT Police Officer Katrina Velevska as his first witness. Officer Velevska testified she had been with the department for 10 months and was patrolling with her training officer Jordan Short. Dispatch alerted them to a car that had left the scene of an accident in another area. They saw a grey Dodge Charger that matched the description of the car being sought and after they noticed the car swerving, they pulled it over at eastbound I-94 and Haggerty Road for a traffic stop.
The driver, Patterson, was asked to step out of the vehicle and he complied. She testified that there was the smell of marijuana and the driver had slurred speech. She said her partner did a field sobriety test on the driver which he failed and he was arrested.
There were two passengers in the car who were not identified or searched, she testified, noting that Patterson identified them later. One had a valid license, but Patterson wouldn’t release the car to them, so they were picked up by another vehicle and Patterson’s car was towed.
Velevska testified police did an inventory search on the car after Patterson was arrested for drunk driving.
The next witness was VBT Police Officer Scott Griggs, who has been with the police department for 19 years. He said he did an inventory search on the car and found a loaded Taurus handgun under the driver’s seat wrapped up in bright-yellow safety vest. He also found a bright orange safety clip on the passenger seat. He testified the car had tinted windows.
The final witness was VBT Police Det. Michael Long, who had been with the department for 18 years. He testified he had run the gun’s numbers through LEIN and ATF and found the gun had been purchased from a couple in Ypsilanti Township.
Defense attorney Stephanie Farkas moved to have the judge dismiss the first three charges, which involve the gun, since probable cause hadn’t been established that Patterson knew the gun was there. She said the two passengers were in the car about 30 minutes before they were released.
“I like the argument of 30-minute delay,” said Judge Oakley, “but not enough to decide that’s not constructive possession.” He was bound over on the three gun charges, with the fourth charge, a drunk driving count, tagging along.
There was a question about enhancement of the charges by a previous conviction, but the prosecutor had been unable to get the paperwork from Washtenaw County in time for this court session.
“I will stipulate to the prior conviction from Washtenaw County,” attorney Farkas said and Judge Oakley replied, “That’s helpful.”
Maurice Lashane Turner, Jr.
Maurice Lashane Turner, Jr., 32, of Van Buren Township was arraigned April 11 at 34th District Court and put on $100,000/10% cash or surety bond. He is charged with assault with intent to murder, assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder, and assault with a dangerous weapon (felonious assault) on April 9 in Huron Township. After several court appearances, a zoom preliminary exam was set for July 7.
News reports say Huron Township Police responded to Spruce Drive on a report of a stabbing and found a 20-year-old man with multiple stab wounds, who was transported to a local hospital. When Turner was taken into custody he was being treated for a non-life-threatening gunshot wound.
Ramal Rodriquez
Ramal Rodriquez, 31, of Willis was before Judge Martin on April 7 to face a charge of carrying a concealed weapon on March 24 in Van Buren Township. Defense attorney Brandy Robinson said she needed discovery, so the probable cause conference was adjourned until April 21 and then a live preliminary exam was set for June 2. On June 2, Rodriquez waived his preliminary exam and was bound over to circuit court for a June 16 arraignment on the information. A calendar conference was set for July 8. The defendant’s personal bond of $5,000 was continued.
Timothy Allen Porter
Timothy Allen Porter, 47, of Woodhaven was arraigned by zoom on a bench warrant by 34th District Court Magistrate Al Hindman on April 15 while in custody with Van Buren Township police.
Magistrate Hindman set a personal bond of $5,000, as requested by VBT police. The original charge was operating while intoxicated, third offense, a felony, on Oct. 14 in Van Buren Township.
Dan Bitar, the MIDC attorney, said Porter is a tool and die maker and has had his most recent job for six years. He has children who are six and nine years old and a fiancé. Bitar said Porter hasn’t had a OUI in 20 years.
After two court sessions, Porter’s probable cause conference was adjourned until June 23 because his new attorney Henry Schneider is seeking a reduction of the charge.
On June 23 he failed to appear and his wife called to say he was in the Wayne County Jail. His probable cause conference was reset to July 14.
Andre Harris
Andre Harris, 35, of Detroit, was set for a live preliminary exam at 2 p.m., June 2, on charges of deliver/manufacture of schedule 1,2,3 controlled substances (except marijuana and cocaine), deliver/manufacture schedule 4 controlled substance, and possession of marijuana on Dec. 3, 2009 in Van Buren Township.
On June 2, Prosecutor Jane Gillis made the motion to dismiss the charges and the case was dismissed.
Marcus Dewayne Hopkins
On April 21, Marcus Dewayne Hopkins, 33, of Ypsilanti, had his cases adjourned by Judge Oakley for a week to give time to get the discovery. Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Jane Gillis said they have difficulties getting the evidence from state troopers.
Hopkins is charged with controlled substance – delivery/manufacture of Methamphetamine, deliver/manufacture narcotic or cocaine less than 50 grams, fleeing a police officer in a vehicle, and assaulting/resisting/obstructing a police officer on April 2, 2020 in Sumpter Township.
He also is charged by the Michigan State Police with identity theft, forgery of license documents/plates, drove while license suspended, and operated without security on Sept. 16, 2017.
His defense attorney is Natalie Phelps. On April 28, a live preliminary exam was scheduled for 2 p.m., June 9, before Judge Oakley, but Hopkins failed to appear.
Brandon Keith Bauer
Brandon Keith Bauer, 35, of Taylor, had a ticket for operating his ATV on a highway or right of way from the Department of Natural Resources dismissed in exchange for him pleading guilty to a charge of impeding traffic. The impeding traffic ticket offered by Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Jane Gillis carried a fine of $150 and no points. Judge Oakley did the sentencing.
Bauer said on March 6 he drove his ATV on a dirt road in Sumpter Township when his buddy’s kids drove their ORV down the road. He wanted to get them home and off the roadway so he jumped on his ATV and went the short distance to get them. That’s when the DNR came up, he said.
Marcus Lee Shaffer
Marcus Lee Shaffer, 26, of Van Buren Township, had a preliminary exam set for 9 a.m., June 14, on charges of assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder and domestic violence on Feb. 24 in Van Buren Township, but he failed to appear.
Shaffer was in the Wayne County Jail on a bench warrant for failure to appear when he came via zoom before Judge Oakley on April 28. His defense attorney, Blasé Kearney of the Neighborhood Defender Service, said his client’s phone was off when he tried to contact him for the April 7 court date. Shaffer cannot afford the $250 cash bond and Kearney asked the judge to convert it to personal bond.
“I have nobody to call,” Shaffer said, explaining his grandmother had been here but she has moved to Florida. “It’s not too nice in here,” he said of the jail.
Judge Oakley said the $250 they have from the original bond is the bond, so the jail can release him. But he can have no contact with the complaining victim.
After he failed to appear for the June 14 court date he was arrested on a warrant and bail was set at $5,000/10%.
Jomo Kenyatta Fagans
Jomo Kenyatta Fagans of Detroit pled guilty to catching 37 bluegill, 12 over the limit, in Belleville Lake, Van Buren Township, at 5 p.m., Feb. 27. The misdemeanor charge written by the DNR has a maximum fee of $500. Judge Oakley charged him $350 within 30 days.
James Allison Devlin
The pretrial for a DNR ticket against James Allison Devlin of Van Buren Township for feeding deer at 4 p.m. Dec. 5 was adjourned until 9 a.m., July 21, so defense attorney Murray Duncan could study the law on this. Duncan was told the law is WCO – 3.100(5). Judge Oakley said “no supplemental feeding of deer is allowed in the lower peninsula” and that a violation of that law is a misdemeanor.
Teddy Allen Robinson
Teddy Allen Robinson, 36, of Romulus, was brought to the courtroom from the Wayne County Jail via zoom. He pled guilty to open intoxicants in a vehicle / passenger and the charges of possession of narcotic paraphernalia and false request for ambulance service were dismissed. These took place at 9:53 p.m., June 23, 2019 in the city of Belleville.
Robinson was before Judge Oakley on April 28 and Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Jane Gillis made the offer of the plea bargain. Robinson’s defense attorney was Leanna Belcher.
Judge Oakley gave him credit for the 60 days he served in jail and closed the case.
Joseph Alexander MacRae
Joseph Alexander MacRae of Westland, who is defending himself without an attorney, asked for a bench trial on a DNR misdemeanor charge of fishing without a license at 4:30 p.m., March 8. His trial was set for June 2, live in the new courthouse before Judge Oakley. He pled guilty and was charged a fine of $300.
Ethan Michael Ryal
Ethan Michael Ryal of Sumpter Township had been charged with assault and battery on his grandfather on Feb. 28 in Sumpter Township and he was before Judge Oakley for his pretrial appearance by zoom on April 28. Defense attorney Belcher said Ryal lives with his grandfather and now was staying with a neighbor. His grandfather wants him to come home, with a condition of getting counseling, Belcher said.
She said the two had a disagreement and the grandfather went to his room and Ryal blocked the grandfather with a door. She said the grandfather has a physical condition and said he felt trapped.
Judge Oakley agreed to wait until the grandfather could walk over from next door to be with Ryal for his court appearance by zoom. While the grandfather was walking over, Ryal said he would agree to counseling.
Judge Oakley talked to the grandfather who agreed to having his grandson come home, but with counseling. Judge Oakley then agreed to amending the charge from assault and battery to domestic violence. He gave Ryal a delayed sentence for 12 months after which the charge would be dismissed if there were no further problems. And, Ryal was required to take anger-management classes. There also was a fine of $250 and Judge Oakley said it was Ryal’s fine and, “I want your money, not his,” referring to the grandfather. Ryal assured Judge Oakley he would pay the fine himself.