Retired Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Michael Callahan issued a warrant for the arrest of Clayvon Anthony Choates on Nov. 15 after he failed to show up for his preliminary exam at 34th District Court.
Judge Callahan was sitting in for District Court Judge Brian A. Oakley, who reportedly had gone hunting.
Choates, 26, is facing a charge of larceny in a building and larceny of more than $1,000 but less than $20,000 on Jan. 24, 2015 in Van Buren Township.
He was free after posting $10,000/10% bond. His preliminary exam had been set for 10 a.m.
At 11:25 a.m., Judge Callahan revoked Choates’ bond and set a new bond of $25,000/10%.
Choates’ retained attorney Shakir Hawkins first told the judge her client had transportation problems and that’s why he wasn’t in court at 10 a.m. as required. She said she talked to him at 8:15 and 8:55 a.m. and he said he was enroute. Then his phone reportedly ran out of power, she said.
On Nov. 1, Choates was before District Court Judge Tina Brooks Green for his probable cause conference and he was ready to agree to a plea deal, but his attorney Hawkins didn’t show up. Judge Green adjourned the probable cause conference until Nov. 15, but it was listed on the docket as his preliminary exam. Whatever it was, that’s when he didn’t show up.
In 36th District Court in Detroit on Nov. 3, he was bound over to circuit court on a charge of possession of narcotic or cocaine and for refusing to be fingerprinted. Shakira Hawkins is the attorney of record on those cases, as well.
Candace Winston-Frazier
Keith Jerome Frazier
Roxanne Frazier
Three members of the Frazier family, co-defendants on charges of home invasion first-degree and aggravated assault in Van Buren Township on Oct. 18, waived their preliminary exams and were bound over to circuit court for a Nov. 29 arraignment on the information. They all are out on personal recognizance bond.
Brandon Lewis Brown
Brandon Lewis Brown, 32, waived his preliminary exam on one count of assaulting/resisting/obstructing a police officer and one count of assaulting/resisting/obstructing/injuring a police office on Nov. 3 in Van Buren Township. Brown was bound over to circuit court for a Nov. 22 arraignment on the information. Brown, who was in a wheelchair, was before Judge Callahan via video from the Wayne County Jail. His bond was $5,000/10%.
Joshua Kavon Patton
Joshua Kavon Patton, 20, who also was before Judge Callahan via video from the Wayne County Jail, waived his preliminary exam on unauthorized driving away of a motor vehicle and larceny in a building in VBT on Nov. 4. He is scheduled at circuit court on Nov. 22 for his arraignment on the information.
Kial John-Glen Smith
Kial Johnglen Smith, 20, was set for his preliminary exam on charges of assault with intent to murder and assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder in VBT on Jan. 21. He was free on $10,000 personal recognizance bond.
Charges were dismissed without prejudice, which means they can be refiled in the future. It was explained VBT Police have been unable to get the witness to testify.
Anthony Joseph Hatchard
Anthony Joseph Hatchard, 42 waived his preliminary exam on a charge of felonious assault on Aug. 9 VBT. He is due in circuit court on Nov. 29. He is free after posting bond of $20,000/10%.
Assistant Wayne County Prosecutor Phebie Longnecker said there has been a third-party contact warning the victims not to come to court to testify, along with texting from the defendant. She asked that there be no contact with the victim and that Hatchard be fitted with a GPS tether.
Retained defense attorney Marc Hart objected to the GPS tether and said there has been no contact between his client and the victim and, “There’s no reason to believe that’s true, unless there’s something to show…”
Hatchard said his son is autistic and he takes care of him.
Judge Callahan continued the bond and the order of no contact with the victim. He did not order the tether.
Kenneth Landstrom
Former VBT Fire Fighter Kenneth Landstrom’s Nov. 15 pretrial was postponed until 9 a.m., Dec. 6 by Judge Callahan. Landstrom is charged with three counts of lying to a VBT police officer and one count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Landstrom turned himself in on June 28 and he was due for his pretrial first on July 12, then it was adjourned to Aug. 23, Oct. 4, and Nov. 15 — now Dec. 6. Landstrom’s retained attorney is Robert Coutts.
James Forrest Chapman
James Forrest Chapman, 57, was bound over to circuit court on Oct. 25 by Judge Oakley. Chapman was scheduled to be in circuit court on Nov. 8 to face a felony charge of running from a VBT police officer and the attendant misdemeanor of refusing to give a DNA sample after arrest on June 3, 2016. On Nov. 8 the arraignment on the information was adjourned to Nov. 15 by the court.
On Nov. 15, Judge Margaret Van Houten approved a motion for Chapman’s court-appointed attorney to withdraw as attorney and a new court-appointed attorney was appointed.
Chapman’s final conference has been set for Jan. 12 and a jury trial for Feb. 5.
On Oct. 25, Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Phebie Longnecker said this particular case had been delayed for 14 months because of Chapman’s motions — 17 as of Oct. 25.
It had gone to trial and then there was a mistrial because a police officer went into the jury room to help a juror. The case was refiled and a jury seated and then the case dismissed when VBT police were not present to tesify. It was refiled and now headed to another jury trial.
A refusal to provide a DNA sample on another felony (since settled) on Aug. 16, 2015, is now set for a bench trial on Dec. 6 before Judge Oakley. Judge Oakley had originally dismissed this charge against Chapman, but circuit court reinstated the charge.