The probable cause conference for the four felony charges against Norman Ladale Johnson, 31, of Willis was adjourned until June 3 by 34th District Court Judge Tina Brooks Green during a Zoom court session on May 27.
Johnson is accused of attacking a 26-year-old Sumpter Township resident with a tire iron at the man’s home in the 23000 block of Elwell Road on May 16.
Johnson is charged with assault with intent to murder, home invasion first degree, assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder, and assault with a dangerous weapon.
He was jailed after cash bond was set at $50,000. Police said Johnson forced entry into the home occupied by a person he knew and hit the victim around the head and torso with the tire iron. The victim tried to get away and Johnson continued to attack him, but eventually the victim was able to call 911.
Johnson was present before Judge Green from the Wayne County Jail via Zoom. His attorney Nancy Richards asked for an adjournment for a week so she could review the evidence and look into whether there are videos.
Richards asked Judge Green to reduce her client’s bond to at least $50,000/10% with a GPS tether because he has no prior felonies. He did have non-violent misdemeanors, she said.
She said Johnson has been working for Ford Motor Company for five years as a hi-low driver and graduated from Lincoln Consolidated School District. She said he is not receiving his medications in jail.
Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Lori Mireles-Smith said these are very serious charges against him and the victim had to be medically treated for his injuries. Also, the defendant has four bench warrants from other counties for not showing up in court.
Judge Green said she would mark his file “medical” so he’ll get his medications, but she would leave his bond as is for now and will ask pretrial services for a report.
Brittany Nicole Allen
The probable cause conference for Brittany Nicole Allen, 23, of Belleville was adjourned for one week, until June 3, by 34th District Court Chief Judge Brian Oakley because Allen’s defense attorney Mike Carter said he forgot to email the evidence to his client so she could review it.
Allen was before Judge Oakley by Zoom. Allen is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon (felonious assault) and domestic violence in Van Buren Township on May 8. She is free on bond and ordered not to have contact with the victim or an address in the 48600 block of I-94 Service Drive.
Rebecca Nicole Rose
Rebecca Nicole Rose, 36, of Van Buren Township, was unable to be present by Zoom before Judge Oakley for a preliminary exam on charges of assault to do great physical harm less than murder, assault on a police officer, and domestic violence in VBT on April 25. Her presence was waived by her attorney Cait DeMott Grady from the Neighborhood Defenders Service.
Grady said she just got the discovery and needs time to review it.
Judge Oakley said they will go back to the probable cause conference, beginning the process over, and he set the PCC for 9:20 a.m., June 3. Personal recognizance bond of $10,000 was continued.
Justin Cleeve Johnson
Justin Cleeve Johnson, 18, of Van Buren Township, failed to appear before Judge Green on May 27 for his Zoom probable cause conference on two charges of felonious assault on March 21 in VBT.
His case will be reviewed on June 29.
Dejon Demarkusroland Johnson
Andrew Curtis Williams
The probable cause conference on charges against co-defendants Dejon Demarkusroland Johnson, 23, of Detroit, and Andrew Curtis Williams, 23, of Ypsilanti were adjourned two weeks until June 10 by Judge Green.
The defense attorneys need time to go over the charges and the evidence and meet via Zoom with their clients.
Johnson’s court-appointed attorney Danielle Cadoret and Williams’ retained attorney Mohammed Azeem Nasser also asked that their clients’ $1 million cash bonds be reduced. Cadoret said Johnson was in a car accident at the end of March and died twice in the hospital. He had heart and lung surgery. When he was jailed, they asked him what prescriptions he was on and he didn’t know the names of some and the jailer said, “If you don’t know, we can’t give them to you.” She said he was coughing up blood and lying of the floor of the cell all night and should have been taken to the hospital. She asked for house arrest, a tether, and personal bond to make sure he doesn’t die before his case is adjudicated.
Nasser said his client Williams has just four charges and one is a misdemeanor. He said his client is only 23 and could qualify for HYTA. He has family support and suffers from asthma which makes him vulnerable to coronavirus. He asked the judge to allow a lower bond and house arrest where he could only leave for medical care or to visit his attorney. He said he is retained counsel at significant cost to the family.
Prosecutor Mireles-Smith said both of the defendants were involved in serious crimes and there are allegations of drug trafficking, which may be added to Williams’ charges. She said one fired at an officer and it would be a public safety problem if they chose not to show up and had to be re-aprehended. She said they do not have a long criminal history, but they should have a high surety bond – maybe not $1 million – but no personal bond or low percent bond.
Judge Green said she would not touch the bond until she could get a report from pretrial services.
Johnson is charged with 12 felonies and one misdemeanor violation of Gov. Whitmer’s Stay at Home Order on May 16 in Romulus. The felony charges are assault with intent to murder, armed robbery, assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder, fleeing police in a vehicle, carrying a concealed weapon, two felonious assaults, and four felony firearm charges.
Williams is charged with armed robbery, carrying a concealed weapon, felony firearm, and violation of executive order