Vetra Denice Pettway, 60, of Detroit, was due for her preliminary examination before 34th District Court Judge Brian A. Oakley on July 17, but she did not show up for court. It was 11:55 a.m. and her exam had been set for 9 a.m.
Her court-appointed attorney Jeahad Kadaf also was not there and had not called in to leave any message.
Pettway has been charged with felonious assault, interfering with a crime report and reckless driving on May 26 in Sumpter Township. She was free after posting bond of $10,000/10%.
After Judge Oakley said he would issue a bench warrant on Pettway, the Assistant Wayne County Prosecutor pointed out this is the third bench warrant in this case within the last month. He said she comes in hours late and then the warrant is cancelled. He asked Judge Oakley for a higher bond for her and Judge Oakley raised it to $50,000/10%.
Then, the next day, July 18, Pettway appeared at the court counter at 10:55 a.m. and the warrant was cancelled. She had to fill out a form to qualify for a court-appointed attorney and took too long filling it out, so it was too late for court action. She was to come back at 1:30 p.m. as a walk-in. She didn’t and the warrant was reentered into LEIN (the law enforcement information network).
Gage Bryant Harris
Gage Bryant Harris, 25, waived his preliminary exam before Judge Oakley and was bound over for trial to circuit court for a July 31 arraignment on the information. He is charged with home invasion / first degree, assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder, and domestic violence on May 21 in Van Buren Township. An attorney stood in for his court-appointed attorney Sanford Schulman. Harris is free after posting bond.
Sucretts Camella Stone
Sucretts Camella Stone, 36, waived her preliminary exam before Judge Oakley and was bound over to circuit court for an arraignment on the information on July 31. She is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon (felonious assault) and assault or assault and battery on June 29 in Van Buren Township. She is free after posting bond and the bond was continued and the no-contact provision emphasized. Judge Oakley also noted she was behind on a previous payment plan and needs to make a payment.
Joletta Morrell King
Joletta Morrell King, 35, waived her preliminary exam before Judge Oakley on charges of using a self-defense spray device (weapon) and domestic violence on June 25 in Van Buren Township.
She was bound over to circuit court for a July 31 arraignment on the information. She told her court-appointed attorney that she could not go on that date because she had to move out and that was the last day. And, she had two small children and it was going to be difficult.
Her attorney explained that Judge Oakley can’t change that date, but the attorney will explain the situation to officials at the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice to see if she can get the date moved to July 24.
King told Judge Oakley that the incident was self-defense, but she knew he couldn’t make that determination and it had to go to circuit court.
She is free after posting bond of $5,000/10%.
Jimmy Martez Reese
Jimmy Martez Reese, 44, waived his preliminary examination and was bound over to circuit court for an arraignment on the information on July 31. He is charged with embezzlement by an agent or trustee of more than $1,000, but less than $20,000; and larceny of $1,000 or more, but less than $20,000 on June 23 in Van Buren Township.