Warren police discover meth lab at motel, arrest two

Warren — A tip combined with an overwhelming smell led to the busting of a temporary meth lab at a motel as well as the arrest of two men.

Police raided a room at the Americas Best Value Inn & Suites, 25800 Dequindre Road, shortly after 7 a.m. Sunday, according to Lt. Darcy Leutzinger of the Warren Police Department.

"We had received a tip that drugs were possibly being dealt out of the motel room, plus we had reports of a strong chemical smell," Leutzinger said Monday. "We arrested two men in their early 20s.

By Tom Greenwood
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Owner of Westland Bray's raided by FBI being deported

Westland— The popular Bray's Hamburgers joint raided by FBI agents Thursday is owned by a former Albanian freedom fighter who snuck into the United States illegally and is being deported, The Detroit News has learned.

Troy resident Tomo Duhanaj's life story is chronicled in a 15-page federal appeals court case that traces his path from rebel battles in the former Yugoslavia and a failed pursuit for asylum in the United States.


By Robert Snell and Christine Ferretti
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Uncle of slain Westland teen held; drug supplying alleged

Mount Clemens— The uncle of one of two slain Westland teens who were shot execution-style in an overgrown field on Detroit's east side was taken into custody Wednesday for supplying the teens with drugs the night they disappeared, authorities said.

Jourdan Bobbish, 17, and Jacob Kudla, 18, were reported missing after visiting Kudla's uncle, Richard Baxter, on Sunday night at his east side home. Family members said Baxter had supplied the pair with marijuana and pills.

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Judge tosses 2001 murder conviction

Trenton doctor was serving life in 1983 slaying of partner

Detroit— A former Trenton doctor serving life in prison for murdering his medical partner could be freed soon after a federal judge said his constitutional rights were violated during trial.

The order by U.S. District Judge Marianne Battani, dated Tuesday and filed Wednesday, is the latest twist in a decades-old murder and prolonged legal battle involving Dr. Jasubai Desai.

He was convicted of first-degree murder in 2001, 18 years after the death of Ann Marie Turetzky.

By Robert Snell
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Son of missing Troy man called person of interest, arraigned on fraud charges

Rochester Hills — The 21-year-old son of a missing Troy man was arraigned Wednesday on charges that included three counts of credit card fraud and also has been described as a "person of interest" in a suspected violent incident in their home.

Patrick Mikes, a psychology and pre-med senior at Notre Dame University, was arraigned before Rochester Hills District Judge Lisa Asadoorian for the offenses, all felonies punishable by up to five years in prison.

By Mike Martindale
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Van Buren Township teacher charged with sexting

Romulus— A Van Buren Township teacher was arraigned Tuesday on charges she sent a 15-year-old boy a sexually explicit photo of herself and gave him alcohol.

Andrea Deanna Brennan, 37, of Ypsilanti stood mute in 34th District Court in Romulus and a not guilty plea was entered on her behalf.

Brennan was charged with distributing sexually explicit material to a minor, a two-year felony; use of a computer to commit a crime, a four-year felony, and furnishing alcohol to a minor, a 60-day misdemeanor.

Police said they found Brennan and the boy drinking alcohol at 1:30 a.m. July 10 in a parked car at a softball field near Beck Road and Ayres Avenue in Van Buren Township.

By Candice Williams
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Testimony is under way in roller-rink shootings

Pontiac— Under enhanced security, opening statements began Tuesday in Oakland Circuit Court in the trial of two men charged in a Dec. 23 alleged gang-related shooting that left six people wounded at a Waterford Township roller rink.

Tre-Andis Jamison, 21, and Cheyenne Ingram, 18, face 14 counts in the incident, which allegedly involved a third man, Robert Lee German, 18, who has been charged but remains at large. Jamison and Ingram each have their own jury in the trial.

By Mike Martindale
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Griem: Bashara likely will be charged in wife's murder

Detroit— Robert Bashara will likely be charged in his wife's murder, said the attorney who was allowed Tuesday to withdraw from representing the Grosse Pointe Park man.

And Bashara, who already faces charges on accusations he tried to hire a hit man to kill his wife's alleged murderer, will probably testify in both trials, attorney David Griem said.

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Macomb County teacher, foster dad facing child porn charges

Detroit— A fourth-grade teacher from Macomb County who also is a foster parent will appear in federal court today after being charged with possessing and receiving child pornography.

David Joseph Kiluk, who teaches at George Washington Academy in Mount Clemens, was charged Friday after federal agents allegedly found 55 child porn photos and videos on his home computer.

By Robert Snell
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Van Buren Township teacher faces sex charge

Detroit— A Van Buren Township teacher has been charged with furnishing a 15-year-old boy who wasn't her student with sexually explicit material and alcohol at a softball field.

Andrea Brennan, 37, of Ypsilanti was charged Monday with distributing sexually explicit material to a minor, use of a computer to commit a crime and furnishing alcohol to a minor. If convicted, she could spend up to four years in prison.

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2 charged with larceny in connection to deaths of Westland teens

Detroit—Two people were arraigned Saturday on charges of larceny, obstruction of justice and tampering with evidence in connection to the deaths of Westland teens who were shot and left in a Detroit field.

Police arrested Casey Green, 39, and Larry Anderson, 40, at 1 a.m. July 24 as they were removing items from a vehicle belonging to one of the victims.

By Lauren Abdel-Razzaq
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Brothers to learn today if they'll be out of jail

They have been granted new trial in 1987 murder case

Detroit — Janet Hirth has waited more than two decades for her nephews to come home.

Raymond and Thomas Highers, both 46, of Flat Rock, have served 25 years of a life prison term in a 1987 murder that the men maintain they did not commit.

Today, the brothers are expected to learn if they'll be released and reunited with relatives after a Wayne Circuit Court judge last week granted the Highers a new trial.

"We've always believed in their innocence. For a while, we didn't think there was much hope," said Hirth, 57, of Roseville. "They are so happy and can't wait to get home. They feel justice is finally served. It's all about the truth."

By Christine Ferretti
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Suit claims NFL player beat patron with bottle at Birmingham bar

Pontiac — A Detroit man is suing the recently closed South Bar in Birmingham, five unidentified bouncers and an NFL football player he claims smashed a champagne bottle over his head on March 26.

The Oakland Circuit Court lawsuit filed this week by Robert Ford, 30, alleges he was returning from a restroom area when — for unknown reasons — Ronald Talley, a defensive end with the Arizona Cardinals, smashed the bottle over Ford's head multiple times, causing it to break and glass shards to pierce his skull.

By Mike Martindale
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Police: Lake Michigan rower's assailant may have followed her blog

Traverse City — Five weeks ago, Jenn Gibbons set off on 1,500-mile solo rowing journey around Lake Michigan to raise money for breast cancer survivors, blogging along the way about life on the water. Police say someone following her well-chronicled voyage from a distance may have used the information to do her harm.

A man broke in as Gibbons slept in the vessel's cabin, police say, and sexually assaulted her while the boat was moored along the shore in the Upper Peninsula. She is going public about the ordeal, hoping it helps catch the assailant and sends a message of strength to others who have been assaulted.


By John Flesher
Associated Press
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Witness, audiotape link Bashara to hit-for-hire plot

Judge orders him to trial on solicitation of murder charges

Detroit— In a tape-recorded setup in June, Robert Bashara allegedly hatched a plan with a Detroit appliance store owner to carry out the killing of a handyman for $20,000 — and a phony complaint from Bashara about a refrigerator would be the cue to set the deal in motion.

Two days later, Bashara allegedly returned to the store on East Warren, made a $2,000 down payment and took a receipt.

Details of four June meetings were revealed Tuesday through testimony and muffled tape recordings in 36th District Court during a preliminary examination before Chief Judge Kenneth King, who ordered the Grosse Pointe Park man to stand trial on charges of solicitation of murder. Bashara faces up to life in prison if convicted.


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Man accused in 2006 murder extradited to Michigan

A man wanted in connection with a 2006 murder and robbery in Scio Township has been extradited to Michigan, the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office said Tuesday.

Jonathon Lee Aiden, 32, is being held without bond at the county jail on open murder charges. His next court date is scheduled for July 31.

Aiden had been in prison in Florida for burglary charges.

In November, he was officially charged with open murder in the 2006 crime at a Pontiac-Buick-GMC dealership on Jackson Road.

Another suspect, Shane Noel Roscoe, was convicted June 8 of felony murder, safe breaking, breaking and entering and resisting and obstructing.

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Witness wore wire in alleged plot of hit

Detroit — Steve Tibaudo couldn't recall meeting Jane Bashara, but while testifying in court Tuesday, he broke down in tears twice after he mentioned her name.

Tibaudo, owner of Steve's Furniture and Appliances on Detroit's east side, was the prosecution's star witness in Tuesday's preliminary examination against Robert Bashara, who is charged with solicitation of murder. Prosecutors say Bashara agreed to pay Tibaudo $20,000 to kill Joseph Gentz, a handyman who is in jail after being charged with Jane Bashara's Jan. 24 murder.

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Second man charged in Macomb County robbery spree

Chesterfield Township— A second man has been arrested and charged in a November armed robbery spree, officials said Tuesday.

Travis Wayne Blubaugh, 21, was arraigned Monday on two counts of armed robbery in 42-2 District Court in New Baltimore, said Det. Sgt. Deron Myers with the Chesterfield Township Police.

Bond was set at $500,000 for Blubaugh, who is in the Macomb County Jail. If convicted, he faces life in prison.

Police say Blubaugh is an accomplice and the getaway driver for Michael Zech, 28. Zech is accused of three armed robberies Nov. 15-17 in Chesterfield and Clinton townships.




By Charles E. Ramirez
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Man charged with mutilation of Allen Park pair due in court

Allen Park— A 39-year-old house guest charged with killing a couple who'd been hosting him, dismembering their bodies and dumping them in a river is due in court.

The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office says Roger Bowling will be arraigned Monday.

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym L. Worthy on Sunday charged Bowling with two counts of first-degree murder, mutilation of a body and felony firearm in the July 16 slayings of Danielle Greenway, 32, and Chris Hall, 42. The Allen Park man is also charged with tampering with evidence.

By Christine Ferretti
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Worthy: Probe of Oakland County child killer hindered

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy blasted Oakland County Prosecutor Jessica Cooper on Wednesday for naming a person of interest in the Oakland County child killer case and releasing DNA test results, saying those actions "severely compromised our investigation."

Cooper's revelation at a press conference Tuesday was described as a breakthrough in the unsolved murders of four children in 1976 and 1977. In an appeal to the public to come forward with information, Cooper named convicted pedophile Archibald Edward Sloan as a person of interest and said that a hair found in Sloan's red 1966 Pontiac Bonneville has the same mitochondrial DNA profile found on victims Mark Stebbins and Timothy King, the first and final victims.

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Dismembered bodies found in Detroit River were shot to death

Detroit— The man and woman whose dismembered bodies were found floating in the Detroit River on Tuesday died from gunshot wounds, according to an autopsy by the Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office.

"The male had multiple gunshot wounds, and the female had a fatal gunshot wound to the head," said county spokeswoman Brooke Blackwell. "Both were caucasian, either in their 30s or 40s, although they haven't yet been identified."

By George Hunter
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Suspect in Blissfield sisters' slayings found dead

The man wanted for the shooting deaths of two Blissfield sisters killed himself Tuesday night in a cabin in rural West Virginia as police closed in on him.

The U.S. Marshals Service, following up on a lead, discovered the body of Thomas Fritz in a remote cabin near Sistersville, in Tyler County, W.Va., according to Michigan State Police Lt. Sean Furlong.

Fritz, 38, an ex-convict and Iraqi war veteran, apparently shot himself.

"He is deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound," Furlong said. "His body was found in a cabin in a very remote area after it was surrounded by U.S. Marshals and members of the local sheriff's office."


By Tom Greenwood
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Bloody nose leads to boxer's arrest

FBI agent retrieves swab after fight, links DNA to bank robbery

In a life with few victories, Martin Tucker had a big one in April.

The struggling boxer won a unanimous decision during a four-round fight in Toledo. He was cheered by a hundred friends and relatives. Sitting ringside were Buster Douglas and Tommy "The Hitman" Hearns.

But someone else was in the audience — an FBI agent, according to court records.

Afterward, Special Agent Robert Schmitz retrieved a Q-Tip swab that had been used for a bloody nose sustained by Tucker.

Believing the light-welterweight had been involved in the robbery of a Monroe credit union in 2009, Schmitz brought the swab to an FBI lab that matched its DNA to genetic material from a black mask worn by one of the robbers, according to a criminal complaint.


By Francis X. Donnelly
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DNA links hair found in car to two victims of Oakland County Child Killings

Pontiac— More than three decades after the Oakland County child killings terrorized Metro Detroit, authorities Tuesday announced a "significant breakthrough" in the case.

Oakland County Prosecutor Jessica Cooper, who has faced fierce criticism from victims' families over the slow pace and secrecy of the probe, said authorities have a "person of interest" based on DNA test results that link hair samples taken from a car and two victims.


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Sex offender charged with possessing child porn

Mount Clemens— A Macomb Township sex offender has been charged with possessing child pornography, Macomb County Sheriff Anthony Wickersham said Tuesday.

Daniel Joseph Morris, 45, has been charged with 10 counts of child pornography possession and a count of using a computer to communicate with another to commit a crime. Each count of the child porn charge is a four-year felony, and the computer charge is a seven-year felony, Wickersham said.

By Charles E. Ramirez
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Detroit lottery winner convicted of murdering daughter's ex-landlord

Detroit — The wife of an Australian man who was gunned down by a lottery winner last year said she has mixed feelings about the guilty verdict handed down Monday by a Wayne County jury.

Australian native Greg McNicol, 45, was murdered in 2011 outside an apartment complex he was renovating on Detroit's east side, following a longstanding dispute with one of his tenants over $1,000 in unpaid rent and loud, unruly visitors.

Former postal worker Freddie Young, 63, who won an estimated $1.57 million share of a Michigan Lottery jackpot in February 2011, was found guilty Monday of second-degree murder.

"I'm thankful that justice was done, but I'm not happy," said McNicol's widow, Katie Scartezini. "There's nothing to be happy about. My husband was cowardly murdered. I'm not celebrating — I'd be celebrating if my husband was still here by my side."

By George Hunter and Christine Ferretti
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Two teens to be arraigned in fatal carjacking outside Detroit coney island

Detroit — Two teens are set to be arraigned Monday afternoon in connection with a fatal carjacking of a young father in a coney island parking lot.

Victor Jerome Newell, 19, and Trenton Anthony Shell, 18, are charged with felony murder, carjacking, arson, receiving and concealing stolen property and firearm offenses in the July 12 death of 23-year-old Wyman Shaver.

Detroit police say the teens were arrested within nine hours of the 4 a.m. killing in the parking lot of Olympia Coney Island at Harper Avenue and Chalmers. Investigators apprehended the teens with the assistance of the Comprehensive Violence Reduction Partnership.

    By Christine Ferretti
    The Detroit News

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Police seek Ohio man in killing of 2 Michigan sisters

Blissfield— A nationwide search was under way Sunday for a 38-year-old ex-convict from Ohio suspected of shooting his ex-girlfriend and her sister to death and wounding their mother in southeastern Michigan.

State police Lt. Mardella Horhn said Thomas J. Fritz, of Sylvania, Ohio, hasn't been charged but is wanted for questioning. Fritz was released from an Ohio prison in 2008 after serving a 1-year sentence for criminal sexual conduct.

By Associated Press

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Plea deal talks next for Gentz

Detroit— The lawyer for a handyman who claims he was hired to kill Jane Bashara said Wednesday she hopes to move swiftly to cut a deal for her client now that he's twice been deemed competent for trial.

Joseph Gentz, who did odd jobs for Robert Bashara, has claimed the Grosse Pointe Park man offered him $2,000 and a Cadillac to murder his wife.

Gentz's attorney, Susan Reed, said she hopes to reach a plea deal in advance of her client's Aug. 13 preliminary examination on murder and conspiracy charges.


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Grandmother formally charged with murder in teen's shooting

Pontiac — A West Bloomfield Township woman charged in the May 18 slaying of her teenage grandson appeared Thursday in Oakland Circuit Court for formal arraignment on charges in the death.

Sandra Layne, 74, stood mute before Judge Denise Langford Morris, who entered a not-guilty plea on her behalf and set a Sept. 13 status conference in the case.

Layne is charged with open murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony in the shooting death of her grandson, Jonathan Hoffman, 17, in their condominium.

The diminutive Layne, dressed in orange jail garb with her arms shackled by belly chains, smiled as several of relatives, including her husband, Fred, waved to her from a front row. She is held in a two-woman cell in the Oakland County Jail without bond.

Outside the courtroom, Layne's attorney, Jerome Sabbota explained to reporters that while his client may be smiling, it masks her internal pain.

By Mike Martindale
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Home raided after dogfight claim in video

Detroit— It was remarkably swift action, coming just days after a video went viral allegedly showing a local rapper bragging about dogfighting and offering a tour of the site: Police and humane society workers swooped in Wednesday and removed animals from a west side home believed to be the site.

Officers with a search warrant entered the home on the 12200 block of West Outer Drive just before noon, Detroit Police said.

Police and the Michigan Humane Society began investigating after receiving tips about the video allegedly showing someone who appears to be Young Calicoe touring an unidentified home with roosters and barking pit bull-like dogs in kennels. The tour guide calls them "champions in the making." At other times, a man refers to fighting dogs. "I hope we don't get indicted for that — that Michael Vick-type (expletive)," he said in reference to the NFL quarterback imprisoned for his role in a dogfighting ring.

By Josh Katzenstein
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A hug, a dance, a fatal shot raise doubts

Detroit— Questions continued to swirl Monday around the fatal shooting of a Detroit woman as she danced with an off-duty police officer early Sunday morning.

The victim's mother doesn't understand why the officer was carrying a loaded weapon during a party in his yard. Firearms experts said they don't see how dancing could cause the handgun to discharge.

Adaisha Miller, who would have turned 25 Monday, was dancing with Officer Isaac Parrish, 38, when she hugged him from behind during the fish fry, said police. A .40-caliber handgun, held in Parrish's waist holster, fired and struck Miller in the lung and heart.

By Steve Pardo, Tony Briscoe and Francis X. Donnelly
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Dogfighting, Metro area rapper link probed

The Michigan Humane Society is investigating animal cruelty claims raised by a viral video allegedly of a Metro Detroit rapper that shows pets believed to be used in dogfighting.

The undated footage, posted Monday on LiveLeak.com and other websites, allegedly shows Young Calicoe touring an unidentified home he says has a backyard "zoo" with some pit bull-like dogs in kennels and one chained beside a doghouse.

The rapper, pointing to a caged rooster, says: "We fight them, too. That's a grand champ right there."


By Mark Hicks
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Michigan man charged in fatal stabbing of elderly mother

A man has been charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing death of his elderly mother in a Detroit-area home.

Alan Shields was arraigned Friday in Southgate District Court.

He was arrested Thursday, a day after Southgate police discovered the body of 86-year-old Irene Shields.

Alan Shields faces a preliminary examination on July 20. He was ordered to be jailed.
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Organized crime crackdown targets 4 in pallet thefts, Schuette says

Lansing— Four Michigan residents were charged Friday in the thefts of plastic pallets used by the auto industry in what state Attorney General Bill Schuette called an organized crime operation.

Damian Massa, 52, of Mason, James Tabor, 43, and his wife, Zaklina Tabor, 40, both of Carleton, and David Wendler, 40, of Monroe were charged with a total of 27 felonies.

They could each face up to 20 years in prison if convicted on the most serious charges of conducting a criminal enterprise. The charges stem from an undercover investigation by Livonia police working with the Attorney General's office and General Motors Co.

By Steve Pardo

The Detroit News

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Fenton mortgage fraud kingpin Ronnie Duke pleads guilty

Detroit— The ringleader of one of the largest mortgage fraud rings to ravage the country pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court and faces a lengthy prison term.

Ronnie Duke, 45, of Fenton admitted his role in a four-year scheme that federal agents say generated as much as $100 million in losses as he and his co-defendants turned fake loans into high-end travel, upscale homes, expensive boats and even a helicopter. Duke is free on bond and faces 10-15 years in prison, prosecutors say.

By Mike Wilkinson
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Ex-Highland Park EM to appeal charges

Highland Park — The former emergency manager of Highland Park said Wednesday he plans to appeal a decision by the state Appeals Court to reinstate criminal charges against him.

By Kim Kozlowski

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911 tape: 'I'm going to die,' shot teen says

Bloomfield Hills— Sandra Layne sobbed Monday in court as she heard her grandson's voice on the 911 recording: "My grandma just shot me — I'm going to die."

The chilling call came May 18 from Layne's West Bloomfield Township condominium as Jonathan Hoffman, 17, pleaded with a dispatcher for help.

The call depicted a struggle between two people, one of them with a gun. At one point, Hoffman said, "I've just been shot," and gives the condo's address. He told the dispatcher it's his grandma who shot him: "I'm going to die."

By Mike Martindale
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Roseville couple injured by suspected drunken boater

Harrison Township-- A 47-year-old Roseville man and his wife were injured Saturday night after a suspected drunken boater collided with their anchored boat on Lake St. Clair, according to the Macomb County Sheriff's Office.

By Candice Williams
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Court filings say Soave bribed Kilpatrick

Detroit— Businessman Anthony Soave bribed ex-Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick with private flights, $10,000 worth of courtside Detroit Pistons tickets, New York City shopping sprees and helped his mistress lease a Land Rover, according to allegations in a federal court filing.
The Grosse Pointe Farms businessman's lawyer disagreed Thursday, saying Soave was extorted.
Ex-Detroit water boss Victor Mercado, who is asking to stand trial on racketeering conspiracy counts separate from Kilpatrick, the mayor's father and contractor Bobby Ferguson, leveled the accusations in a legal filing late Wednesday.

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Bashara arraigned on solicitation to murder, bond set at $15M

Detroit — Robert Bashara was "unraveling" out of fear that his former handyman would testify against him in connection with his wife's murder, so he spent about two weeks this month negotiating to have the ex-employee killed in jail, prosecutors said Wednesday.

Bashara, 54, was arraigned Wednesday in 36th District Court on a solicitation of murder charge, which carries a penalty of up to life in prison. Prosecutors said Bashara paid a man — and tried to pay another — to kill Joe Gentz, a handyman who is in jail awaiting trial in the death of Bashara's wife, Jane.

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Jurors say lone holdout blocked Ferguson conviction

Detroit— Jurors in the $12 million bid-rigging case against Bobby Ferguson agreed to convict the contractor on four charges Friday before leaving court and becoming deadlocked, a juror told The Detroit News on Wednesday.

At another point, the jury was deadlocked 10-1 to convict, according to juror Leon Richey, and a second juror who identified the holdout as the lone female black juror.

Jurors indicated prosecutors came close to convicting Ferguson and co-defendants Michael Woodhouse and Calvin Hall, who now face a retrial.

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Waterford Twp. man charged in theft from Bob Seger's home

Orchard Lake — A 20-year-old Waterford Township man was arrested and charged Tuesday with stealing items from the home of rock 'n' roll Hall of Famer Bob Seger.

Andrew D. Thompson was charged with larceny from a building, a four-year felony, before Judge Diane D'Agostini of 48th District Court.

Thompson was released on bond pending a preliminary conference Thursday before Judge Marc Barron.

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Feds rescue 6 children from prostitution in Metro Detroit

Detroit— Federal agents rescued six children who were forced to work as prostitutes across Metro Detroit, the FBI said Monday.

The five girls and one boy, ages 13-17, were rescued as part of a three-day nationwide crackdown on child prostitution in 57 cities that ended Saturday.

In Operation Cross Country, 79 children were rescued. Locally, investigators arrested 22 customers and five pimps and recovered more than $53,000 in cash and assets, FBI spokesman Simon Shaykhet said.

"It's clear that child prostitution and sex trafficking do not just occur somewhere else on the other side of the world," Shaykhet said.

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Bashara arrested for solicitation of murder

Arrest is latest twist in story that began with wife's body in SUV

By George Hunter and Francis X. Donnelly
The Detroit News

A Grosse Pointe Park businessman was arrested Monday, allegedly caught on tape trying to hire someone to kill a handyman who claims to have murdered the businessman's wife at his behest, two people familiar with the case said.

Bob Bashara, who owns and manages retail properties, has been arrested with solicitation to murder a witness — Joseph Gentz, said his attorney, David Griem.

A police source said the alleged attempt was caught on tape.

"He was recorded soliciting someone to kill Gentz inside the jail," the source said.

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Man sentenced to life in Michigan stabbing spree

Flint — A man convicted of murder in a 2010 stabbing spree in Michigan was sentenced to life in prison Monday, wrapping up the first in a series of cases against Elias Abuelazam.

Michigan offers no parole to people convicted of first-degree murder, which means the 35-year-old Israeli immigrant will be locked up until he dies unless he wins an appeal.


By Ed White
Associated Press
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Royal Oak man accused of robbing same bank twice

A 57-year-old Royal Oak resident is accused of robbing the same bank twice within a month's time in Washington Township.

Gary Allen Wagner is being held at the Macomb County Jail after failing to post a $250,000 cash bond.

Authorities say Wagner robbed the Best Bank inside Kroger on Van Dyke and 30 Mile on two separate occasions.

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AG fighting murderer's release

Detroit — State Attorney General Bill Schuette is appealing a federal judge's decision to release a convicted murderer as he awaits a potential new trial.

Schuette's attorneys on Thursday failed to convince U.S. District Judge Arthur Tarnow that Dwayne Ballinger Jr. should stay locked up pending their appeal of an earlier decision that raised serious questions about Ballinger's double murder conviction.

Ballinger was accused of gunning down two men in a dispute over drug-dealing territory and was serving two life sentences.

By Mike Wilkinson
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Southfield man to be tried in sex assaults on 'escorts'

Southfield — A Southfield man who investigators said arranged dates with female "escorts" and "masseuses" and then allegedly sexually assaulted and robbed the women was bound over Thursday to stand trial in three such encounters.

Southfield detectives have interviewed at least three women who claim a man who called himself "J" — later identified as 26-year-old Kyle Cooper — contacted them after finding their advertisements on the Internet or in newspapers.

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Walmart shoplift suspect identified

Woodhaven — A shoplifting suspect shot and killed by police outside a Walmart has been identified as Charles David Brown Jr., 39, of Lincoln Park.

Police said Brown and a female accomplice, whose name has not been released, allegedly were trying to shoplift about $50 in food and clothing from the department store.

By Oralandar Brand Williams and Tom Greenwood
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Gas station clerk beaten in Detroit

Gas station clerk beaten in Detroit

Detroit— The rash of violence at gas stations in the city continued early Monday morning.

Hamzah Nasser, owner of the west-side BP station at Schoolcraft and Greenfield Road, said a group of young men attacked the store's clerk around 12:30 a.m. Monday.

Nasser said the men, who appear to be in their late teens or early 20s, have frequently shoplifted from the store for the past couple years in the early morning hours.

The 26-year-old clerk begged them to stop Monday, Nasser said.

    By Josh Katzenstein
    From The Detroit News:

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Two boys - one about 10 - carjacked woman, Detroit police say

Detroit — A teenager and his prepubescent accomplice are wanted by police for allegedly carjacking a woman in broad daylight Saturday outside an east-side dollar store.

A 34-year-old woman was exiting the Family Dollar store in the 16000 block of Harper at 6:25 p.m. when two boys, described as about 10 and 16 years old, approached her. The teenaged suspect produced a handgun and the pair made off with the victim's 2001 Cadillac DeVille, Detroit Police Officer Cassandra Lewis said.

"When I was typing out the report, I had to double-check to see if the age was correct," Lewis said. "But that's what the victim told the investigating officers: That one of the suspects looked around 10 years old.

"This is the first time I've seen a carjacking suspect that young," said Lewis, a 12-year veteran of the police force.

    By George Hunter
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Nathaniel Abraham gets probation in assault case

Adrian— A man who committed murder at age 11 has been sentenced to five years of probation in a prison guard assault case.

Nathaniel Abraham pleaded guilty May 1 to attacking the guard at the end of 2010. The 26-year-old was sentenced Tuesday in Lenawee County Circuit Court.

Abraham already is serving a four-to-20-year sentence for drug possession.

    By The Associated Press

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Man to be tried in rapes that targeted prostitutes in Pontiac

Pontiac — A man investigators allege is a serial rapist of prostitutes will go to trial in September on charges of committing multiple sexual assaults between December and April.

By Mike Martindale
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Deliberations continue in Ferguson's bid-rigging case

Detroit— Jurors started a second day of deliberations Monday in contractor Bobby Ferguson's $12 million bid-rigging case.

It is the first full day of deliberations after lawyers finished delivering closing arguments Friday in U.S. District Court. Jurors spent about six hours before breaking for the weekend.

The month-long trial has focused on an alleged conspiracy targeting a low-income housing project that prosecutors say cheated taxpayers out of millions of dollars.




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Judge agrees to testing grenade in Aiyana Jones case

Detroit— The judge and attorneys in the manslaughter case of a Detroit tactical officer charged in the shooting death of 7-year-old Aiyana Jones during a police raid will experience the effects of a concussive grenade firsthand.

Wayne County assistant prosecutor Robert Moran during a hearing Friday requested that jurors experience being in a room when a flash-bang grenade is detonated. The weapon is designed to disorient through a burst of light coupled with a loud blast.


By Steve Pardo
The Detroit News
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Detroit Police raids yield $1.3M in drugs

Detroit officers make 87 arrests in 3 days; seize 20 guns, 8 cars

    By George Hunter
    The Detroit News

Detroit— A three-day Detroit Police drug operation resulted in dozens of arrests, the confiscation of several guns and $1.3 million worth of cocaine, marijuana and Ecstasy.

Detroit Police narcotics officers executed 43 raids from June 6-9, arresting 87 people and seizing 20 pistols and rifles, along with several bagfuls of pink, green and yellow Ecstasy pills, large quantities of cocaine and a bin full of marijuana. More than $12,000 in cash and eight vehicles were seized.

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Request for separate trials in Royal Oak slaying denied

Judge: Pair accused in death of woman, 80, to get own juries

By Mike Martindale
The Detroit News

Pontiac — Oakland Circuit Judge Colleen O'Brien on Wednesday denied a request for separate trials for Royal Oak murder suspects Alan Craig Wood and Tonia Watson but ruled that each would get their own jury.

Wood and Watson are charged in the Nov. 12 beating and stabbing death of 80-year-old Nancy Dailey.

Dailey was found in her home, tied up and her throat slit just eight days after hiring the homeless couple, both parole absconders, to do yard work. Both are drug abusers with criminal records.



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Prosecutor: Ferguson driven by greed, arrogance

    By Robert Snell
    The Detroit News
  

Detroit— Bobby Ferguson displayed arrogance, a sense of entitlement and apathy for poor people, a federal prosecutor told jurors Thursday during closing arguments in the contractor's $12 million bid-rigging trial.

In a 90-minute speech, Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Buckley recounted highlights of the government's case, showed jurors guns seized from Ferguson's office and unraveled an alleged conspiracy targeting a low-income housing project that cheated taxpayers out of millions of dollars.

"The evidence told a story about greed, about arrogance and about apathy," Buckley said. "Crimes driven by greed, a desire for money. I think you would agree the conduct of the defendants demonstrated a certain sense of entitlement, a sense that rules don't apply to them."

Ferguson lawyer Gerald Evelyn followed Buckley.

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5 Wayne County Sheriff's deputies accused of assaulting inmates

    By Mark Hicks and George Hunter
    The Detroit News

Detroit— Five Wayne County Sheriff's deputies were charged Tuesday with assaulting inmates at the county jail.

The alleged assaults happened in the Division 1 facility on Clinton on Oct. 10, 2009, Jan. 25, 2010, and Feb. 6, 2010, according to the Wayne County Sheriff's Office.

The victims were treated at Detroit Receiving Hospital for their injuries.

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Bashara handyman likely to cut plea deal if competent

Gentz passes state's psychological review, granted second exam

    By George Hunterand Christine Ferretti
    The Detroit News

Detroit— The man who claims he was paid to kill Jane Bashara will likely try to cut a plea deal with prosecutors if he's ruled competent to stand trial by an independent psychologist, his attorney said Monday.

A Michigan Department of Community Health psychologist ruled Joseph Gentz, 48, of St. Clair Shores is competent to stand trial on first-degree murder and conspiracy charges in connection to the Jan. 24 murder of Bashara. The Grosse Pointe Park marketing executive's body was found inside her Mercedes-Benz sport utility vehicle the morning after she was strangled to death.

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Hearing in 'backpage' murders moved to August

By Charles E. Ramirez
    The Detroit News

Sterling Heights— The probable cause hearing Friday for a man accused of mutilating and transporting four corpses in December was delayed Friday until August 13 to enable his attorney to prepare his defense.

James Cornelius Brown, 34, of Detroit, has been charged with four counts of disinterment and mutilation of a dead body. Each charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. He has also been charged with two counts of arson.

He has not been charged with murder.

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Pittsfield Township mother pistol-whipped during home invasion, police say

A 31-year-old Pittsfield Township mother was pistol-whipped when intruders broke into her residence this morning to steal property, according to police.

The woman suffered minor injuries, and her toddler, who was home at the time, was not injured, police said.

The home invasion occurred about 10:40 a.m. at Arbor Meadows mobile home community in the 5000 block of West Michigan Avenue. Read the entire Free press article.

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Former Wayne high school teacher to stand trial for sex with students

By Oralandar Brand-Williams
The Detroit News

Romulus — A former Wayne Memorial High School choir teacher has been ordered to stand trial on charges of having sex with two of his students and sending pornographic pictures of himself to a third.

The teacher, 26-year-old Brandon Tomblin, was bound over for trial Friday by 34th District Court Judge Tina Brooks Green on several charges of criminal sexual conduct, sexually abusive activity with a child and using a computer to commit a crime.

Tomblin, who showed no emotion during Friday's preliminary hearing, is accused of having sexual contact with two male students ages, 16 and 17, in May 2011.

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Father went on 2-day binge, left kids in car

A father that left his children, ages 4 and 6, in his abandoned vehicle without food for two days has been charged.

News for Michigan criminal attorneys- Man arrested in connection with child neglect; Department of Human Services to probe incident.

Jackson, MI—Two young children were left in a car and deprived of food for two days as their father irresponsibly went on a drinking spree, leading to his Sunday, April 4, 2010 arrest in connection with the incident. The Hillsdale County, Michigan man was formally charged with second-degree child abuse on Monday, April 5, 2010, according to information provided by ClickOnDetroit.com.

Read the complete article by JusticeNewsFlash Legal News Reporter: Sandra Quinlan- Legal News for Michigan Criminal Lawyers.

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Cipriano, Young to be tried in baseball-bat attack

    By Mike Martindale
    The Detroit News
 
Farmington Hills — Tucker Cipriano and Mitchell Young were ordered Friday to stand trial in the April baseball-bat attack that killed Cipriano's father, Robert, and injured his mother, Rosemary, and younger brother Salvatore.

The decision in 47th District Court followed nearly two hours of testimony in the second day of a preliminary exam that began May 23. Cipriano, 19, and Young, 20, are charged with -degree premeditated murder and two counts of assault with intent to murder. Both have been jailed without bond since shortly after the April 16 attack.

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Feds say Ferguson raids netted cash, handguns

Agents recall search of his office, condo in conspiracy trial

    By Robert Snell
    The Detroit News

Detroit— Bobby Ferguson's bid-rigging trial took a dramatic turn Wednesday as federal agents talked about the trove of evidence seized during raids, including stacks of cash from hidden safes and two handguns, and discussed the interior decorating style of the indicted contractor's downtown bachelor pad.

Agents talked about raids at Ferguson's office in Detroit and at a Riverfront Towers condominium, where investigators brandishing weapons in September 2010 found Ferguson dressed only in his underwear inside a fifth-floor bedroom. He told agents he didn't live at the condo, but agents spotted Ferguson's initials painted on a wall and found photos of the married contractor with a female employee, who is identified in court records as his girlfriend.

The testimony added color to a complex criminal case involving a close friend of ex-Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick.

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Roseville may have Macomb's first K2 arrests since ban

By Charles E. Ramirez
The Detroit News

Roseville— Police may have made the first arrest in Macomb County for the violation of a law banning the sale of synthetic marijuana.

Roseville Police Chief James Berlin said Wednesday officers arrested the owner of a tobacco and cigarette shop and a store employee on marijuana and gun charges.

He said the arrests were made after officers seized a large quantity of synthetic marijuana, known by the brand names K2 or Spice, from the Smokers Alley store on Gratiot near Martin Road.

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Synthetic pot crackdown gains traction in Michigan

Macomb launches effort to stop sale of drugs; Oakland, Wayne likely to follow

By Serena Maria Daniels
The Detroit News

The House and Senate agreed in principle Monday on a three-bill package that would create a mechanism for the state Board of Pharmacy to quickly get synthetic marijuana or similar dangerous products off store shelves.

Without waiting for lawmakers, officials in southeast Michigan are taking measures to stop the spread of the drug known as K2 or Spice.


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Oakland stores asked not to sell synthetic pot

Pontiac— Controversy over synthetic marijuana — including possible links to two recent homicides — led two top Oakland County officials to call Friday for businesses to stop selling the herbal incense blends known as K2 or Spice.

County Executive L. Brooks Patterson and Sheriff Michael Bouchard said they hope their initiative will be used statewide while lawmakers figure out how to ban the substance, which can produce a marijuana-like high and violent reactions. Read the whole article here.

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Sterling Hts. police get escort slaying case

Charges against man in dismemberment of women to be reissued

By Steve Pardo
The Detroit News

Detroit— Charges against a Sterling Heights man charged in the dismemberment of two women were dismissed in Detroit and are expected to be reissued Friday in Macomb County.

James Brown, 24, was living in Sterling Heights at his mother's house, where the dismemberments occurred, police said. A 36th District judge determined Macomb County was the proper venue on the charges. Read the full article here.

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Police: Dispute among three females led to double stabbing in Walled Lake

    By Josh Katzenstein and Tom Greenwood
    The Detroit News

Walled Lake— Police said jealously was the cause of a dispute between three females that left two with serious stab wounds Wednesday morning and a third being questioned.

The argument, stabbings and a short car chase took place at the Walled Lake Villa apartment complex at about 5:15 a.m., according to Walled Lake Police Chief Paul Shakinas. Read the full article here.

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Bank inside Kroger store robbed in Washington Township, surveillance photos released

By Tammy Stables Battaglia
Detroit Free Press Staff Writer


The Macomb County Sheriff’s Office this afternoon released surveillance photos of a man who robbed a bank inside the Kroger grocery store this morning in Washington Township. Read the complete article here.

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Warren man held after pregnant woman is kidnapped, shot, set ablaze

    By Steve Pardo
    The Detroit News

Warren - A 22-year-old Detroit woman, who was abducted, shot and set on fire, is expected to recover and police are expected to continue questioning Sunday of the woman's ex-boyfriend.

Warren Police Commissioner Jere Green said the woman, nine months pregnant, had gone to a movie with the ex-boyfriend and soon-to-be-father of the child. The woman was dropping the man off at his home on Sherman in Warren. Read the complete story here.

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Detroiter to face charges in gas station shooting

By Steve Pardo
The Detroit News

Detroit - A 26-year-old Detroit man accused of shooting at an undercover Wayne County Sheriff's deputy at a gas station is facing charges of attempted murder. Read the full story here.

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Woman not guilty in deadly Berkley crash
Mental illness cited in fiery crash that killed Detroit man

By Mike Martindale
The Detroit News

Pontiac — A 22-year-old Oak Park woman who smoked marijuana before a high-speed crash that killed a Detroit man last year was found not guilty by reason of insanity Friday.

Sarah Gaynor was charged with second-degree murder, reckless driving causing death and failure to stop after an accident in the fiery crash that killed Terrence Dyer, 42, on March 20, 2011.... Read the rest here.

Detroit Council halts action on consent agreement, cites possible legal challenge. Read the Detroit News article here.

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