34th District Court Judge Tina Brooks Green adjourned until Sept. 16 a probable cause conference for Raymond Lee Bailey, 37 of Wyandotte to face charges for four murders in Sumpter Township on Aug. 15.
Bailey came to his first probable cause conference via Zoom on Sept. 2 from the Wayne County Jail. Judge Green let him meet in a Zoom breakout room to talk to his appointed defense attorney Sharon Clark Woodside.
Woodside told Judge Green that Bailey said his family has retained counsel. Later, Bailey told Judge Green his family said his new attorney was coming to see him at the jail at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 5.
Prosecutor Tara Math Hindelang told Judge Green that no one has filed an appearance as attorney of record, so Judge Green said they will keep Woodside on until someone else files as attorney.
Bailey told Judge Green he would call his family as soon as he could get to a phone and tell them to have the attorney file his appearance.
“I’ll try to have that done, sooner rather than later,” Bailey said.
Prosecutor Hindelang said she sent out all the paper discovery to Woodside and started sending the video, but Woodside was having trouble getting it. She said there is an inordinate amount of video evidence.
Woodside said it was sent and kept coming and after seven hours, she stopped.
Judge Green said she would keep the case on her docket and will probably end up adjourning it again after they have a better idea of who the attorney is. She said that attorney will probably need time to review the discovery.
When he was arraigned by Zoom on Aug. 19 Bailey was in a hospital with a brace on his neck and told 34th District Court Chief Judge Brian Oakley that he had a broken neck that he caused himself in the Huron Township police lockup.
In the Sept. 2 Zoom court appearance from the jail, he wore no neck brace and moved easily.
Judge Green adjourned the probable cause conference for two weeks so, hopefully, they will have the retained attorney’s appearance filed by then.
Bailey is in jail without bond for four counts of first degree – premeditated murder and four counts of weapons – felony firearm. If he is found guilty of just one count of first-degree murder he could be sentenced to life in prison.
In Saturday’s edition, The Detroit News printed some details of the four victims’ autopsies, noting 23 bullet wounds were found. The News said Forrest Sampson, 28, was found dead of a single bullet wound on the couch in Laura Tanner’s home on Martinsville Road in Sumpter Township. Down the hall, police found his brother Neil Sampson, 30, shot 11 times, including three times at close range. The autopsy reported other significant injuries.
Police found Bailey’s former fiancé, Laura Tanner, 35, in the kitchen with seven gunshot wounds. Laura’s sister, Sarah Grupa, 38, was found on the back porch with four gunshot wounds, one at short-range, and also bruising of the left temple.
Donavan Jerimiao Wilson
Donavan Jerimiao Wilson, 22, of Ypsilanti, was bound over to circuit court for an Aug. 31 arraignment on the information after a live preliminary exam before 34th District Court Judge Tina Brooks Green on Aug. 17.
Wilson is charged with receiving and concealing a stolen vehicle, unlawful driving away of auto, and domestic violence on June 5 in Van Buren Township.
The first witness, who said she had an on-and-off relationship with the defendant for six years, testified she had title to the vehicle that he took after he hit her during an argument in her Parkwood home. Under cross-examination she testified that the title was in her name, but he put money into the purchase and was going to be driving it. They had the car a month. The car was a black Chevy Malibu.
Testimony showed Wilson had no driver’s license at the time and the car had no insurance.
VBT Police Officer Kurtis Mowbray said he responded to a domestic in progress call and had contact with the victim who had a laceration by her ear and another laceration near that. He said at 10 p.m. that day dispatch advised him that Washtenaw County Sheriff’s department had contact with Wilson because the temporary plate in the window was reported stolen. Officer Mowbray said he met up with the sheriff’s deputies who had detained Wilson and he arrested Wilson.
Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Lori Mireles Smith made the motion to bind over on all charges. Defense attorney Timothy Wrather, from the Neighborhood Defense Service, objected to binding over on the stolen car charges since immediately after the incident the car was signed over to him.
Judge Green observed he was driving illegally at the time.
“I believe it’s problematic,” Judge Green said, noting the victim had testified the intent had been for him to be a driver.
Prosecutor Smith said she believed it’s a question for a trier of fact as to “who do you believe, him or her?”
“It’s really not a good case,” said Judge Green. “… This case has problems and that’s what downtown is for.” She bound the case over to circuit court.
The defendant is free on $2,000 personal bond.
Omar Morano Smith
Omar Morano Smith, 39, of Westland had his probable cause conference adjourned by Judge Green from Aug. 19 to Aug. 26 to face a charge of fleeing police in a vehicle on May 11 in Van Buren Township.
He failed to show up for a court session and so a warrant was put out for his arrest and he was picked up in an adjoining state.
The date of his next court appearance was emailed to Wayne County Jail Division 3, where he is being held, to make them aware that he needs to be there via Zoom.
For some reason he was not available from the jail, but his attorney Valerie Albright from Neighborhood Defender Service said there was a possibility of him going into the Hawk Program in Washtenaw County. She asked for the probable cause conference to get adjourned one additional week until Sept. 2 because she has hopes to dismiss this case because it is the same incident he pled to in Plymouth. Judge Oakley adjourned the case.
In a Zoom probable cause conference on Sept. 2, Judge Green set his in-person preliminary exam for 9 a.m., Sept. 14. He is free on $2,000 personal bond.
William Oliver Wood
William Oliver Wood, 35, of Romulus had his probable cause conference adjourned one more time to Sept. 9, “in the late morning” by Judge Green for discovery.
Wood is charged with controlled substance possession – narcotics or cocaine less than 25 grams on Oct. 6, 2019 in Van Buren Township.
Attorney Jennifer Mead, filling in for the court-appointed attorney of record C. Clifford Chadwick, said Wood had been in a car accident and since then has had difficulty with his phone, explaining his absence from his Zoom court session.
Judge Green opened his file and found he owes money to the court and so she advised his attorney to have him work out a payment plan.
Daniel Preston Hopkins
Daniel Preston Hopkins, 36, of Westland, had his probable cause conference on Aug. 26 adjourned to Sept. 9 by Judge Green because the defense attorney William Glenn did not have all the discovery.
Hopkins is charged with one count of assault with intent to commit murder, one count of assault with intent to commit great bodily harm less than murder, and one count of felonious assault on July 31 in Van Buren Township.
Bond had been set at $10,000/10% and he was not to be released without tether.
Kennyon Roshawn Jackson
Kennyon Roshawn Jackson, 28, of Van Buren Township, was charged with assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder and domestic violence on April 23, 2019 in Van Buren Township.
At the probable cause conference on Aug. 26, Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Larry King said he would get the discovery as soon as possible to defense attorney Elizabeth Young of the Neighborhood Defense Service.
“Sometimes Van Buren is very quick. Sometimes not so quick,” King said. “It depends on how bogged down their IT guy is.”
A live preliminary exam was set for Sept. 8 with the defense attorney live in the courtroom and Jackson by Zoom from the Michigan Department of Corrections because this case was a violation of his parole.
Attorney Young said her client has never been arraigned, so Judge Green arraigned him. She said the offense date was April 23, 2019 and the entry of the warrant was May 23, 2019.
Michael Lee Crane
Michael Lee Crane, 43, of Sumpter Township, had his probable cause conference adjourned for discovery to Sept. 9 by Judge Green during his Aug. 26 court session. His presence was waived by his defense attorney Elizabeth Young of the Neighborhood Defense Service.
Crane is charged with unlawful imprisonment, domestic violence-third offense notice, and assault with a dangerous weapon (felonious assault) on Aug. 11 in Sumpter Township.
Personal bond was set at $5,000 and he is not to return to the site of the incident or to contact the alleged victim. He also must wear a tether, but without time limits and for location only.
Shannon Marie Johnson
Shannon Marie Johnson, 29, of Van Buren Township has been charged with three counts of assaulting / resisting / obstructing a police officer, one count of aggravated domestic violence, and one count of interfering with a crime report on July 25 in Van Buren Township.
Her probable cause conference had been set for Aug. 26 and then adjourned until Sept. 9. Bond was set at $10,000/10% and she was not to be released without a tether. She was ordered not to contact the alleged victim or to enter a certain address on McKinley.
Allen Alexander Tabb
Allen Alexander Tabb of Detroit was charged with armed robbery and assault with a dangerous weapon (felonious assault) on Jan. 22 in Van Buren Township. Cash bond was set at $50,000 and then on April 1 lowered to $10,000 cash or surety and bond was posted and he was released with a tether.
A live exam has been scheduled for Sept. 9 before Judge Oakley.
Randy Thomas Dixon
Randy Thomas Dixon, 28, of Ypsilanti waived his preliminary exam before Judge Green via Zoom on Sept. 2 and he was bound over to circuit court at the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice for a Sept. 16 arraignment on the information.
He is facing charges of carrying a concealed weapon and driving while license suspended/revoked/denied or let a suspended person operate on Aug. 19 in the city of Belleville.
His court-appointed attorney Michael Carter advised the judge that Dixon had spent two days in custody, so she closed out a civil case for time-served. He is free on $5,000 personal bond.
Kelly Gene Hamilton
Kelly Gene Hamilton, 49, of Van Buren Township, at his probable cause conference before Judge Green on Sept. 2, was scheduled for an in-person preliminary exam for 12:30 p.m. Sept. 15 on a charge of domestic violence – third offense on Aug. 8 in Van Buren Township.
His court-appointed attorney is David Loeckner and he waived his client’s presence at the Zoom conference. Lockner told Judge Green he had written discovery, but no video.
Assistant Wayne County Prosecutor Larry King said Van Buren Township officers do typically wear body cams and that is not mentioned in the report. He said he can ask the officer in charge to check.
“It depends on the IT guy at Van Buren,” said King. He said it would take a week to a week and a half to get the video.
Hamilton is free on $5,000 personal bond with the stipulation he not contact the victim or use any mood-altering substance without a doctor’s prescription, as well as he must seek treatment.
Ariell Shanail Smith
Ariell Shanail Smith, 28, of Detroit, will have an in-person preliminary exam at 12:30 p.m., Sept. 28, at 34th District Court to face charges of fleeing police in a vehicle and second-degree retail fraud on April 14, 2018 in Van Buren Township.
She is free on $5,000 personal bond and her defense attorney is Cait De Mott Grady of the Neighborhood Defender Service.