Violent Crime

November 29, 2013

Saginaw Township Man Likely to Spend More Than Three Years in Prison After Robbing Woman with Screwdriver

Recently, 26-year-old Chad Neiderquill was charged with robbing a Saginaw woman which he knew with a screwdriver. Neiderquill allegedly stole the woman’s prescription medication on September 4 as she was carrying in and putting away groceries.

The victim, 60-year-old Lillian George, told police that Neiderquill was driving in the area as she was putting away groceries, and that he stopped and offered to help her. George said that once all of the groceries were inside, the defendant demanded that she give him her prescription medication, including oxycodone. Saginaw Police Detective Sgt. Reggie Williams said the woman claimed that when she refused, Neiderquill pulled a screwdriver out of a pocket to threaten her, holding it above her head and threatening that if she called police, he would claim George sold him the medications.

On Tuesday November 26, Neiderquill pleaded guilty to armed robbery before Saginaw County Circuit Judge James T. Borchard. He was initially charged with carrying a dangerous weapon with unlawful intent and extortion as well, however prosecutors dropped these charges in exchange for his guilty plea. A news article at Mlive.com indicates that prosecutors will recommend the judge sentence Neiderquill to three years and six months in prison, a minimum sentence for armed robbery according to the defendant’s state sentencing guidelines.

Neiderquill remains in jail on a $75,000 bond, and is scheduled to be sentenced by Borchard on January 9.

In this situation, pleading guilty to armed robbery possibly prevented the defendant from spending up to life in prison. In Michigan, anyone who uses fear, force, or violence in an attempt to steal money or possessions from a person and who does so while possessing or even insinuating the presence of a dangerous weapon may be sentenced to life behind bars according to the Michigan Penal Code 750.529.

November 27, 2013

Jackson Man Arraigned on Breaking and Entering, Assault, Other Charges

by Scott Grabel

Late last week, 44-year-old Steven Krygowski of Jackson was arraigned on multiple charges stemming from a break-in at a neighbor’s apartment. News articles at Mlive.com state that Krygowski broke into the apartment of his neighbor, who was sleeping, and assaulted him.

Jackson Police Lt. Elmer Hitt said that the suspect was charged with breaking and entering, assault with intent to rob while armed, and assault with a dangerous weapon. The victim, who is 69 years old, was found by police when they arrived at the scene with a head injury; police said he was talking and conscious when they arrived at approximately 4:30 a.m. He was listed in stable condition after being transported first to Allegiance Health, then to University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor.

Hitt claimed that the victim did not know what weapon Krygowski used to strike him with, however witnesses claimed to have seen Krygowski carrying a baseball bat when he exited the apartment. Police believe the victim and Krygowski were well acquainted, as the victim said that the defendant had mentioned something about giving him money while in the apartment.

Krygowski is scheduled to appear in court again on December 5.

The penalties an individual faces if convicted of breaking and entering in Michigan depend on the circumstances. Ultimately, what occurs once inside or what it is determined by police and prosecutors as your intentions will be key in sentencing. For instance, if someone breaks and enters a building with the intention of committing larceny, that individual may be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison. Additionally, assault with intent to rob could potentially leave the defendant facing up to 15 years in prison if convicted, even life in prison if in possession of a dangerous weapon when the crime was allegedly committed.

November 22, 2013

Top 13 Cities In Need of Criminal Defense Lawyers

by Scott Grabel

Every year, the Federal Bureau of Investigation releases crime statistics, outlining the number of violent crimes and property crimes in cities across the US. I think the report is a handy tool for criminal defense lawyers who are looking to move their practice or set up their first practice. Although the FBI advises against ranking the cities or making a list of the “most dangerous cities” in the country, I think it’s easy enough to look at the statistics and see which cities have a greater demand for criminal defense lawyers, and why.

Chicago

According to the Washington Post, the number of murders in Chicago in 2012 allowed it to claim the title of “Murder Capital of the US.” The city had 500 murders in 2012, according to FBI crime statistics, while New York City had 419. The previous year, Chicago had 431 murders and New York 515. If you’re a recent law school graduate and want to pursue a career in criminal defense, I’d recommend checking out Chicago, since there’s a lot of opportunity for work and for enjoying life in a big city.

November 22, 2013

Grand Rapids Man Accused of Beating Pregnant Girlfriend Faces Felony Attempted Murder Charge

by Scott Grabel

On Wednesday November 20, 22-year-old Adam Andrew Phillips waived his probable cause hearing after being accused of attempted murder in the beating death of his pregnant ex-girlfriend, according to news reports at Mlive.com.

Phillips allegedly beat 18-year-old Elizabeth Batchelder, his ex-girlfriend, into a coma. Phillips’ adopted grandfather, Clifford Mead, claimed in court that he lived with Phillips and the victim at a home on Sweet Street, the address where the alleged assault took place. Mead testified that the couple had been arguing on the day the alleged assault occurred, and that later in the day he saw Batchelder covered in blood after he heard screaming. Mead also claimed that the victim was gasping for air. He also claimed prior to the break-up, the couple had been involved in domestic disputes, some violent. The defendant was convicted on domestic violence charges in April of 2012.

Phillips’ grandfather said that he “just blew up.” He suspects that the violent incident was caused when the defendant found photos on his ex-girlfriend’s cell phone. She suffered a coma caused by a fracture to her skull, according to police; Batchelder is three months pregnant. Police and rescue workers responded to the scene at approximately 7 p.m. according to police Lt. Pat Merrill, who said a neighbor heard Batchelder’s screams. She had suffered blunt force trauma injuries to her head and face.

The defendant had left the residence before police arrived, however they located him the next day and took him into custody. He is charged with attempted murder.

Attempted murder is a very serious charge in the state of Michigan; if convicted, Phillips could face up to life in prison. While it seems apparent the defendant has anger issues, it is still unfortunate that any 22-year-old individual may face a lifetime behind bars.

November 20, 2013

Detroit, St. Clair Shores Police Officers Face Charges in Connection with Armed Robbery

by Scott Grabel

In July, Detroit Police Sgt. David A. Pomeroy and St. Clair Shores Police Sgt. Michael Notoriano were arrested in connection with an armed robbery after Notoriano’s daughter was robbed of her cell phone at a Detroit gas station. Now, the two officers are facing a combined 18 criminal charges stemming from the incident.

According to news reports at Mlive.com, Notoriano’s 16-year-old daughter had ridden her bicycle to the gas station with a friend. At the station, 24-year-old Dwayne Weathington allegedly pushed her from the bicycle, then stole her iPhone after grabbing her by her backpack and dragging her on the ground. He is reported to have fled the scene on foot.

While off duty, Pomeroy and Notoriano used the GPS tracking function on Notoriano’s daughter’s phone to track the location of the iPhone. They then confronted three Detroit men who they believed had the phone, according to a statement released on November 18 by the Wayne County Prosecutors Office. Investigators claim the two police officers confronted the men, who were 26, 27, and 28 years old, at gunpoint. Pomeroy allegedly took the iPhone and a handgun from the suspects’ vehicle, then stood guard while Notoriano confiscated a bag of marijuana and $300 from the pockets of the 28-year-old suspect. Before releasing him, Notoriano allegedly used the handgun to strike him in the face.

Both officers were arrested, but charges have only recently been filed. Pomeroy is charged with larceny with a firearm, two counts of unlawful imprisonment, armed robbery, willful neglect of duty, and two counts of failure to uphold the law for unlawful search and seizure.

Notoriano has been charged on the same counts, with additional charges including two counts of felonious assault, two counts of ethnic intimidation, and felony use of a firearm.

If convicted, these two officers will likely face extremely serious consequences; in Michigan, armed robbery can leave the accused facing up to life in prison. Combined with all of the other charges, Pomeroy and Notoriano may be subject to harsh punishment.

November 19, 2013

Ypsilanti Township Man Arraigned on Open Murder, Other Charges in Shooting Death at Party

by Scott Grabel

Allante Percy, a 21-year-old Ypsilanti Township man, was recently charged with open murder in the November 1 shooting death of 29-year-old Edward Gwinner. Percy was also charged with felony firearm and being a felon in possession of a firearm according to news reports at Mlive.com. Percy was arraigned on the charges by Magistrate Thomas Truesdell from the Washtenaw County Jail where he is incarcerated via video.

Percy and the victim were outside a party at approximately 1:30 a.m. in the 600 block of Armstrong Drive when the shooting took place. News reports claim Gwinner’s sister was involved in a domestic violence situation, and that he was coming to her aid when Percy allegedly pulled out a handgun and fired multiple times. One of the shots struck Gwinner in the chest. Percy then fled the scene; Gwinner was transported to a local hospital where he later succumbed to his wounds.

Investigators began interviewing individuals who were present at the party, however police said that most were not giving up much information. Police later offered a $2,500 reward in order to entice potential witnesses into talking. Eventually their interviews led to the development of a suspect, Percy. The suspect turned himself into police on November 13th.

Open murder is one of the most serious crimes an individual can be charged with; if convicted, Percy will face up to life in prison depending on whether jurors find him guilty of first- or second-degree murder. In Michigan, second-degree murder encompasses all murder offenses which are not defined as first-degree, and which are not defined as premeditated. A jury may sentence a defendant to any number of years for a conviction of second-degree murder.

While news sources do state that an argument ensued outside of the apartment where the party was taking place, there are no details as to a motive for the shooting.

November 14, 2013

Tennessee Man Charged with Armed Robbery and Murder of Jackson Bar Owner Nearly 40 Years After the Fact

by Scott Grabel

A Nashville, TN man, 65-year-old George Edward Alexander, was recently charged in the death of a Jackson bar owner nearly 40 years ago. Alexander is now incarcerated in the Jackson County Jail awaiting a November 26 preliminary exam on charges of armed robbery and first-degree murder in the September 1975 shooting death of Edward Stankiewicz.

Alexander was extradited from Tennessee on October 15 and arraigned by the county magistrate, according to a news article at Mlive.com. The nearly 40 year old case had grown cold, although Prosecutor Jerry Jarzynka said he did not know why. Jarzynka praised investigators Duaine Pittman and Nathan Gross for their diligent efforts in bringing about Alexander’s arrest. Because the evidence against the defendant has not yet been presented in court, Jarzynka would not reveal how the charges against Alexander came about.

In September of 1975, the victim was gunned down outside a bar on Michigan Avenue, then known as the Pink Elephant Bar. He was allegedly shot in the head and neck area, and died at a hospital emergency room. Authorities say that Stankiewicz was robbed of a briefcase containing about $700, the night’s receipts from the bar before being ambushed with a shotgun. Businessmen in the area at the time claim the victim had problems with gang members frequenting the bar, and that he was frequently threatened according to a 1975 story published in the Citizen Patriot.

Alexander lived in Jackson at the time of the alleged crime, and has served prison time for delivery of heroin and larceny from a person.

If convicted of first-degree murder Alexander will likely face life in prison, the maximum punishment in Michigan. Both armed robbery and murder are extremely serious crimes, leaving those accused facing the potential loss of their freedom forever.

November 7, 2013

19-year-old Driver in Saginaw Double Shooting Receives Harsher Sentence than Gunman

by Scott Grabel

This week, 19-year-old Keondre E. Solomon was sentenced to 23 to 40 years in prison for his role in a double shooting on Saginaw’s South Side in October of 2012. Solomon was allegedly driving a vehicle in which the shooter, Samuel L. Jackson, was riding in when he fired into another vehicle the two men had encountered at a Marathon gas station.

Solomon and Jackson were in a white Dodge Charger when they left the gas station, speeding toward a vehicle driven by the victim. As Solomon’s vehicle became even with the vehicle driven by the 24-year-old victim, Jackson began firing a .40-caliber semi-automatic handgun. Eventually the two vehicles struck each other, resulting in the victim’s car leaving the road and crashing into a tree near the Prescott intersection. The victim suffered a broken arm in addition to several gunshot wounds according to a news article at Mlive.com. A 23-year-old passenger in the vehicle suffered a broken leg.

Solomon maintained that he was unaware Jackson had a gun. Jackson, who is 17 years old, was sentenced by Saginaw County Circuit Judge Janet Boes last week, the same judge who sentenced Solomon. She sentenced Jackson to 19 years 7 months to 40 years in prison for two counts of assault with intent to murder and three counts of possessing a firearm during the commission of a felony. Although Solomon drove the car, he was sentenced to about three more years in prison than the shooter.

Paul Fehrman, Saginaw County Assistant Prosecutor, requested that the judge set Solomon’s minimum sentence at the top of Michigan’s sentencing guidelines, claiming that there was no reason not to set the minimum high due to the fact that had Solomon not sped up to pull alongside the victim’s vehicle, the shooting would not have occurred.

Solomon maintained that he had no clue that his passenger (Jackson) had a gun, and that he was only guilty as acting as an accessory after the fact. Solomon and Jackson were both convicted in September by a jury on the assault and firearms charges.

At the September trial, the two men who were in the other vehicle and who were shot at said during testimony that they had no idea why Jackson opened gunfire on them. The two men are 23 and 24 years old.

Regardless of the motivation or what led Solomon and Jackson to act as they did, it is regrettable that two young men who are still teenagers will spend a substantial part of their lives behind bars.

November 5, 2013

32-year-old Grand Rapids Man Faces Potential Life in Prison Following One-Day Crime Spree

by Scott Grabel

On Monday November 4, a jury was selected for the trial of 32-year-old Demeatrius Tate, a man who allegedly participated in a one-day crime spree which included carjacking and two armed robberies, according to a news article at Mlive.com. Tate allegedly committed the crimes along with 18-year-old Artravius Riley, who pleaded guilty and is expected to testify at Tate’s trial.

The two men were arrested after allegedly committing crimes on May 26 of this year. Tate and Riley are accused of robbing a couple who were walking in the Arena District at approximately 2 a.m. Authorities claim the two threatened the couple with a gun, then took their valuables and a car. Later the same day, Tate and Riley allegedly robbed a man who was sitting in his vehicle in the vicinity of Seward Avenue and Douglas Street NW; they robbed him at gunpoint. News reports claim that Riley forced the victim to drive to an ATM machine. The second victim saw the get-away vehicle’s license plate and reported it to police.

In exchange for the teen’s guilty plea and testimony against Tate, prosecutors with the Kent County Prosecutor’s office agreed to dismiss one count each of armed robbery, felony use of a firearm, and carjacking.

If convicted of the carjacking and two street robberies, Tate will face up to life in prison. The defendant was offered a deal in August which would have resulted in a minimum sentence of 13 to 21 years had he pleaded guilty, however he rejected the plea deal. If convicted at trial, the minimum sentence he will face if convicted of all counts will be 14 years to almost 40 years.

Armed robbery and carjacking are both extremely serious criminal offenses punished harshly in the state of Michigan. As indicated above, Tate will face at least 14 years in prison, and possibly life if convicted.

October 31, 2013

Murder Trial Begins on October 30 for 28-year-old Craig Reginald Lewis; Defendant Claims Self-Defense

by Scott Grabel

On Wednesday October 30, 28-year-old Craig Reginald Lewis went on trial for the August 2012 shooting death of Frank Harris. On October 28, the defendant pleaded guilty to felon in possession of a firearm, and possessing a firearm while committing a felony; however, he is fighting the open murder charge against him, claiming self-defense. Now, according to a news article at Mlive.com, a Muskegon County jury will decide his fate.

Prosecutors allege that Lewis “blew some of Harris’ brains out” after Harris came outside of a home where a get-together was being held in order to break up a fist-fight that Lewis and others were engaged in. Robert Hedges, Senior Assistant Muskegon County Prosecutor, said in his opening statement that Lewis became enraged at Harris, took his gun from another man who was holding it for him so that he could participate in the fight, and began shooting toward the house, one of the shots hitting the victim in the forehead. Police did not arrest Lewis for several weeks, as he fled to Detroit; the weapon used in the shooting was never found.

Others who were at the get-together say they did not witness the fatal shot, as everyone began scattering after hearing the first gunshot. However, in a previous hearing several men who were present at the residence claimed to have seen Lewis fire the first shot, which struck the kitchen door. The weapon was a .357 Magnum handgun according to news reports.

Lewis is being represented by Belinda Barbier and Fred Lesica, both public defenders. While self-defense was not mentioned in opening statements, Hedges did tell the jurors that he expects the defense lawyers will claim that the victim fired at Lewis first. Harris’ fiancée testified that she was inside the house with Harris when they both heard the first shot. She said that Harris went out to the kitchen, and after hearing additional gunfire and a “thump,” she crawled to the kitchen after calling out his name and getting no reply, then found him lying in a pool of blood.

Michigan criminal defense attorneys are unfortunately very familiar with these types of cases. While there is no mention of what was going on at the “get together,” chances are drugs and alcohol were involved. Lewis is charged with open murder, which means jurors will decide on first- or second-degree murder should they find the defendant guilty.