As the new year begins, the court schedule is beginning to heat up. The past year brought cases that likely will be on the docket for 2014.?
21 suspects, including some MSU students, have been arraigned for their involvement with the Big Ten championship civil disturbance and will have face pre-trial examinations in February. ?
On Oct. 19, East Lansing resident Samuel Roberts was arrested for allegedly attacking his ex-girlfriend. His pre-trial date was scheduled for Dec. 3 but was moved and likely will be in 2014.
Oswald Scott Wilder likely will face a trial in 2014, as well as the man who provided alcohol to MSU student Olivia Pryor before she died.
Dishon Ambrose
In 2012, journalism freshman Olivia Pryor was found dead in her dorm room in Hubbard Hall of an alcohol overdose. In 2014, one of the two men allegedly involved could go to trial. Detroit resident Dishon Ambrose, 19, a felony charge of selling or furnishing to a minor causing death.
On the night of March 18, 2012 Ambrose and Eastpointe, Mich., resident Marquez Domonique Cannon, 17, allegedly assaulted both Pryor and her roommate while forcing Pryor to drink her way to a .349 blood alcohol content, causing her death.
Cannon was convicted of the same charge as Ambrose in May of 2012 as well as a sexual misconduct charge and injury to a incapacitated victim. He is facing six to 20 years in prison.
No trial date has been set for Ambrose.
Oswald Scott Wilder
Vernon, Mich. resident Oswald Scott Wilder could face a trial for allegedly assaulting four women, all either MSU students or alumna, between March 30 and May 30 last year.
Wilder was arrested in August and is charged with one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, two counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct, one count of third-degree criminal sexual conduct, two counts of assault with intention to commit sexual penetration, one count of gross indecency and three counts of unlawful imprisonment.
Paul Toman, Wilder’s attorney, told The State News in a previous interview that the case will go straight to trial. Toman said he likely attempt to hold the trial in another location outside of Ingham County, because he does not believe Wilder will receive an fair trial here.
As a habitual offender, Wilder could face life in prison if convicted.
Big Ten Championship ?civil disturbance
After MSU won the Big Ten football championship on the night of Dec. 7, East Lansing descended into chaos as thousands of students and residents flooded the streets and setting fire to their furniture. The bulk of the damage was done in Cedar Village. So far, 21 people have been arraigned, but Capt. Jeff Murphy of the East Lansing Police Department said more could be coming.
“We are still getting tips of people involved,” he said. “We aren’t close to arresting everyone involved.”
Murphy said the police department still has “plenty of reward money” for anyone who can offer a tip that may lead to an arrest. Originally the police department set up a $20,000 fund to pay out to people offering tips.
The majority of those arrested face misdemeanor charges for being less than 300 feet from a fire without the intention to put it out. They face pre-trial examinations in early February and could face up to 90 days in jail and $500 in fines.
Samuel Roberts
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On the night of Oct. 19 East Lansing resident Samuel Roberts was arrested for allegedly attacking his ex-girlfriend and holding her at knife-point against her will. Roberts also took her cellphone.
Roberts had a blood-alcohol level of .10 when he was arrested and, according to his ex-girlfriend, has a history of being abusive while intoxicated. Roberts’ pre-trial examination was scheduled for Dec. 3 but a new date hasn’t been set.
