Homicide trial for E.L. man moved
The East Lansing man accused of killing his infant son will be evaluated to see if he is mentally capable to stand trial. Yumar Antonio Burks, 27, appeared in East Lansing’s 54-B District Court before Judge David Jordan Tuesday morning for his pretrial conference. The defense and the prosecution decided it would be in the best interest of both parties to postpone the preliminary examination until more information surfaces. Burks is charged with first-degree homicide and child abuse in relation to the death of his 6-month-old son. Burks said he had nothing to say and would defer all questions to his attorney, Mike O’Briant. O’Briant said because of the tragedy of the incident, Burks might not be in the proper state of mind to be able to assist O’Briant in the trial. O’Briant requested the preliminary examination be pushed back until Burks can be evaluated for any cognitive issues he might have. “Because of the mere fact that his son died, I think (Burks is) too distraught from the loss of his son to really make decisions at this point,” O’Briant said. The preliminary examination for the trial was set for April 8 but will be postponed until Burks — who has been detained since his arraignment March 29 — has been evaluated properly. Ingham County Assistant Prosecutor Bill Crino also motioned for a suspension of the pretrial hearing until more extensive discoveries are made in regard to the case. Crino said he understood Burks’ capacity to testify might be compromised and he said the prosecutor’s office felt Burks still is too much of a threat to be released. “He is a threat to both children in that house and children in the community so I ask that the bond be set very high,” Crino said.
