Detroit resident Dishon Tyran Ambrose, 19, stands during his pretrial on Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2012, in Mason’s 30th Circuit Court. Ambrose faces a felony charge of selling or furnishing to a minor causing death and a felony charge of accessory after the fact criminal sexual conduct in the first degree. Julia Nagy/The State News
More than six months since MSU freshman Olivia Pryor was found dead in her South Hubbard Hall dorm room, two men still face charges in what likely will be an immensely complicated case.
Ingham County Assistant Prosecutor Bill Crino said there are a number of motions that need to be filed and sorted out before the currently joint case of Detroit resident Dishon Tyran Ambrose, 19, and Eastepointe, Mich., resident Marquez Dominique Cannon, 17, can be opened as a full trial.
While reviewing some of those motions Wednesday afternoon for the duo’s pretrial in Mason’s 30th Circuit Court, Judge William Collette expressed dissatisfaction about the case.
“I don’t necessarily agree with any of this case; I am not really happy with any of the facts I face anymore,” Collette said. “It seems it just keeps getting worse and worse all the time.”
Cannon faces two counts of criminal sexual conduct. He allegedly raped Pryor’s roommate in the shower of her dorm room and raped Pryor while she was unconscious.
He also is charged with selling or furnishing alcohol to a minor causing death. A date has not been set for Cannon’s next hearing.
Ambrose is charged with a felony for selling or furnishing to a minor causing death and a felony charge of accessory after the fact for allegedly helping Cannon clean up the crime scene.
Ambrose’s next hearing will be Oct. 17 in Mason, where the court will address a motion filed by Ambrose’s defense to dismiss his case, Crino said.
In the defendant’s preliminary examination in East Lansing’s 54B Circuit Court Aug. 17 and 21, witnesses testified details relating to Pryor’s death.
Pryor’s roommate said she, Pryor, Cannon and Ambrose drank a total of two bottles of tequila on the night of March 18. The next morning, Pryor was dead, her roommate testified.
But the testimonies and evidence likely won’t be re-examined again for a while, Crino said, as there are many motions from the defense to sort out.
“There are a number of motions coming pending the trial to this case,” Crino said.
On Wednesday, Ambrose’s attorney Sheldon Halpern attempted to negotiate Ambrose’s bond, which was at $25,000 when the case was in East Lansing.
Collette ruled the bond will continue to be $25,000, and if the bond is met, Ambrose will be required to live with his grandmother, abide by an 11:00 p.m. curfew and abstain from alcohol and drugs.
Halpern also tried to convince the court to pay for copies of transcripts for Ambrose’s defense aruging that Ambrose cannot afford to pay for the printing himself, but the judge did not approve the motion.
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