Convicted drive-by shooter's half-sister pleads no contest to offering victim $500 not to testify
Shauntina Vawters
Courtesy of WCSO
A 21-year-old Superior Township woman pleaded no contest Wednesday to offering a shooting victim $500 to not testify against her half-brother.
A week earlier in the same courtroom, Shauntina Vawters wept as Judge Archie Brown read off the prison terms her half-brother received on numerous gun-related charges including two counts of assault with intent to murder. Lamarr Murphy-Ellerson, 21, also of Superior Township, stormed off as Brown sentenced him to between 22 and 40 years in prison.
This week, Vawters stood at the same lectern and entered a no-contest plea for repeatedly calling one of the victims, Murphy-Ellerson’s ex-girlfriend, and offering her $500 to not testify against Murphy-Ellerson.
The female victim - who was 19 at the time of the shooting - testified Vawters called her 10 times in the week leading up to Murphy-Ellerson’s preliminary examination in December 2011.
“Don’t come" to court, is what the victim recalled Vawters telling her. The victim said that while she never felt threatened, Vawters did offer her financial inducements to not show up to court.
The woman, however, did testify at Murphy-Ellerson’s examination about the shooting incident that occurred in Ypsilanti Township on Dec. 1, 2011. She said Murphy-Ellerson saw her with her new boyfriend at the Dairy Mart on Grove Road earlier that day.
Later that night, Murphy-Ellerson showed up at the new boyfriend’s house, which was filled with people, in the 1500 block of Harry Street. He stopped his car in front of the house, pulled down the window and started shooting, the victim testified.
She was not shot, but was hit by debris falling from the house. A 28-year-old man standing in the front yard, however, was hit in the upper leg multiple times. The man and Murphy-Ellerson did not know each other.
The male victim also testified at Murphy-Ellerson’s preliminary examination, according to court records.
“My phone had rang,” he testified. “I stepped outside so I could hear the person on the other end. I walked outside the door and then I was laying on the ground and that’s all I know.”
A jury convicted Murphy-Ellerson of the shooting in June.
Vawters is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 24. She remains free on a bond of 10 percent of $5,000. The charge of bribing or intimidating a witness is a four-year maximum felony.
John Counts covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at johncounts@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
RJA
Sun, Sep 9, 2012 : 3:59 a.m.
I still don't think anyone can fix stupid! Sad, sad!
music to my ear
Sun, Sep 9, 2012 : 2:42 p.m.
wow
music to my ear
Sat, Sep 8, 2012 : 9:14 p.m.
was her brother turf from americas got talent the resemblence is uncanny 500 cheap cheap cheap.
music to my ear
Sun, Sep 9, 2012 : 2:07 a.m.
the young lady in the photo has a strong resemlence to a contestant on a t v show he is a contortion dancer. and 500 means how cheap to offer money because it got her in trouble. I am who I am and frankly have to much time on my hands. my a.d.d makes me get ahead of my thoughts I PROMISE TO BE MORE CLEAR AND UNDERSTOODABLE iam a newbie to a2.com Iam alone all day and feel like I HAVE A LITTLE COMPANY and enjoy learning the computer so thanks for the feedback IAM HOPING TO DO BETTER (and maybe others feel I SHOULD TOO.)
Ypsi_Wings_Fan
Sat, Sep 8, 2012 : 11:08 p.m.
What are you on about now music? I cant ever understand your comments
Tesla
Sat, Sep 8, 2012 : 4:53 p.m.
Thus is why I never go to Ypsilanti. Heck I never go much past platt road anymore. Get it together Ypsi. Sheesh.
flyonthewall
Sat, Sep 8, 2012 : 6:36 p.m.
Apparently you missed two crucial parts of this article-both the subject of it and her half-brother are from Superior Twp. and he traveled to Ypsi TWP to commit the crime. Nowhere do I see the City of Ypsilanti mentioned.
Tesla
Sat, Sep 8, 2012 : 6:19 p.m.
I will. I do. Reputations are earned Cash. Ypsilanti has one. Deal with it.
Cash
Sat, Sep 8, 2012 : 5:06 p.m.
Oh for heaven's sake....please do stay in Ann Arbor! There is no crime in Ann Arbor. http://www.crimemapping.com/map/mi/annarbor There's crime everywhere..... Get it together. Sheesh.
Piledriver
Sat, Sep 8, 2012 : 11:54 a.m.
O-tay!
Lovaduck
Sat, Sep 8, 2012 : 3:51 p.m.
.......O-tay, can you see?
Arboriginal
Sat, Sep 8, 2012 : 12:57 p.m.
Really?
raberwhitetail
Sat, Sep 8, 2012 : 11:49 a.m.
You have to wonder where these young kids are learning to do all this nonsense.
stevek
Sat, Sep 8, 2012 : 9:58 p.m.
Don't blame it on TV. When children are brought into this world by 16, 17, 18,and 19 year olds who can't take care of themselves, and ignorantly think they can take care of babies, this happens. It should be a crime to bring a child into this world if you can't raise it correctly.
jns131
Sat, Sep 8, 2012 : 2:51 p.m.
Look at what they are watching on television these days. Gee, now i am wondering where they get it from? Everywhere. This is nothing new.
Craig Lounsbury
Sat, Sep 8, 2012 : 12:14 p.m.
Al Capone? Buying off witnesses is hardly new.
dogman32
Sat, Sep 8, 2012 : 11:36 a.m.
So she spent the $500 for bail and not a bribe. How coincidental.