Man shot by Pittsfield Township police during arrest has outburst in court
A man who was shot in the stomach by a Pittsfield Township police officer as he was being arrested Saturday for domestic violence is being held without bond after an outburst during his arraignment today at the Washtenaw County Jail.
Devin Reddick, 30, of Pittsfield Township, knocked the court microphone on the floor as he was being arraigned on charges of domestic violence, refusing to be fingerprinted and driving while his license was suspended.
"I wanted a (expletive) lawyer,” he yelled in front of Magistrate Camille Horne. “(Expletive) this…They shot me. I want a (expletive) lawyer.”
Horne ordered Reddick held without bond, and the arraignment was cut short. A woman who identified herself as Reddick’s wife declined to comment after watching the arraignment, which was televised in the lobby of the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Department.
Devin Reddick
On Saturday, Pittsfield Township police said Reddick's wife reported at 4 p.m. that he assaulted her at their home in the Arbor Pointe Apartments off Clark Road.
Roughly 55 minutes later, officers spotted Reddick's vehicle on Platt Road, and he turned into the Rosewood Village condominium complex off Primrose Drive, police said. An officer attempted to make a traffic stop, police said, when Reddick parked his vehicle on Conifer Drive.
According to police, Reddick exited his vehicle and was given orders by an officer, but did not comply. The officer, perceiving "a life-threatening action" by Reddick, shot him once in the abdomen, police said.
The officer, whose name has not been released, was immediately put on paid administrative leave, which is standard protocol in such an incident, police said.
Michigan State Police are investigating the shooting, which occurred across the street from the Pittsfield Township Administration Building. It was the first officer-involved shooting in the township police department's 32-year history.
At this morning's arraignment, Reddick walked up to the microphone, clutching his stomach. He was wearing a padded vest.
Magistrate Horne asked him if he needed a seat, and he said, "Yeah."
Reddick confirmed Horne had his date of birth correct. Horne asked him whether he signed an advice of rights form, and Reddick said he didn’t.
“I refused it because I said I wanted a lawyer,” he said.
Horne offered to read those rights to him, explaining that Reddick's right to an attorney was included. Horne read the charges against Reddick. Reddick said police never pulled him over.
That's when he started screaming for a lawyer, knocked the microphone on the floor, and Horne ordered him held without bond.
Reddick is scheduled to return to court on Jan. 24.
Lee Higgins covers crime and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached by phone at (734) 623-2527 and email at leehiggins@annarbor.com.
Comments
KathrynHahn
Thu, Jan 20, 2011 : 6:50 a.m.
The fact that this guy is 30 yrs old and doesn't respect any form of authority, paying no attention to the police pulling him over and ordering him to stop when he tried to "walk away" from the situation (I'm sure he was aware of his wife calling the police on him, or he wouldn't have fled his home to begin with) right down to disrespecting the Judge with his behavior (I appeared in court in my 20's and would never even consider behaving like that!). It seems pretty clear this guy has some problems. As far as the gunshot wound, a cop I know carries a 9mm and has told me how little damage they do, I doubt he was seriously injured, otherwise he would not have appeared in court (and had the energy to fling the microphone to the floor, cuss and be a general a$$ to the Judge that may control his future). Not very bright moves...not at all! No respect for his wife, no respect for police, no respect fro the Judge... hope he likes orange jumpsuits!
Speechless
Thu, Jan 20, 2011 : 3:15 a.m.
Obviously, Reddick is a piece of work. However, what draws so much attention to this incident is not his alleged domestic abuse, nor his alleged failure to comply with police requests outside the Rosewood complex. The question raised is whether or not the lack of compliance really warranted a potentially lethal bullet to the gut. Just because someone is a jerk, and deserves court time due to behavior at home, that doesn't justify carrying out a summary near-execution out on the streets. I also agree that it would be very interesting to see any police dashboard video showing what led to the shooting after the suspect left his vehicle. The capability of community policing to be appropriate for the situation at hand is put to the test when confronted by truly difficult personalities.
Joe Citizen
Tue, Jan 18, 2011 : 3:43 p.m.
@terrin The officers name won't be released unless he is charged with a crime. Just like Reddick's name was withheld until he was charged with several of them and then had a fit in the courtroom just to show all of his potential jurors what a great pillar of the community he really is.
voter
Tue, Jan 18, 2011 : 3:29 p.m.
Deborah at 1:55 PM on January 17, 2011 This is a county where fleeing unarmed felons are shot and killed in the back so this guy should consider himself lucky they only gave him a gut shot to think about for the rest of his life. Most cops never even draw their guns in the line of duty and yes time off UNPAID is appropriate. Where is all the complaining about out of control unions now? How about the stress of being shot and kicked out of the hospital early and put in a jail cell with little or no nursing? Cruel and unusual punishment has become the accepted norm in this country. If you asked questions we would know more about this case. A Livonia cop was killed last night trying to protect a persons property. Where is the outrage on this. Don't worry Deborah he is of the payroll now. Happy Sleep well.
average joe
Tue, Jan 18, 2011 : 12:47 p.m.
@ Terrin- A Police officer doesn't need to see a weapon to believe he/she is in any danger. We don't know much in this case, but what if the suspect is 6'8"& 295 lbs, & the officer is 5'4" & 150lbs??... does the officer have to put his/her gun away because perhaps the suspect doesn't have a weapon and the officer has be sure there is a presence of a "fair fight"? If the suspect had only complied with that officer, he wouldn't have a hole in his belly to complain about. And no hospital would allow a patient to be discharged before the patient was well enough, but the way this suspect behaves, maybe the hospital couldn't wait to get rid of him...
Terrin
Mon, Jan 17, 2011 : 9:58 p.m.
Just my opinion, I think the guy was shot unnecessarily. Nowhere in the story does it claim the guy had a weapon or was suspected to have a weapon. If he had, it would be mentioned. The police would have leaked that immediately along with the other so called facts that it conveniently wanted us to have. Moreover, why does the accused's name get plastered all over, but the public employee doing the shooting's name not get mentioned? That hardly seems fair in a situation where one is supposed to be presumed innocent. Further, I agree if I had been shot in the stomach I would be pissed as well. Just as easy to assume the guy was wrongly shot as it is to assume the officer shot him with cause.
lester88
Mon, Jan 17, 2011 : 9:57 p.m.
From what I've read on this blog, I agree that he should be held until he calms down and can sit through a brief hearing. Yes, held with no bond for now. We will pay for that lawyer he demands. And that lawyer can tell the court why his/her client should be released on bond. Good call by the magistrate to err on the side of caution protecting the victim and others from an obviously agitated person. Imagine the outcry if he were released and hurt someone.
Greggy_D
Mon, Jan 17, 2011 : 9:26 p.m.
TruBlu...exiting your vehicle is not grounds for being shot. Police Departments have a use of force continuum. Was it followed? What is in the police report? Did Mr. Reddick have a gun? A knife? Any weapon?
Gorc
Mon, Jan 17, 2011 : 8:20 p.m.
Also, isn't a bit ironic that Vincent Law Firm for criminal defense is the sponsoring advertiser near the readers comments section.
Gorc
Mon, Jan 17, 2011 : 8:16 p.m.
Mrs. Reddick calls 911 and reports her husband has assaulted her - doesn't look good for Mr. Reddick Mr. Reddick is shot in the abdomen after he makes "a life-threating action" towards a police officer - doesn't look good for Mr. Reddick. Mr. Reddick has a violent outburst in court towards the magistrate. - doesn't look good for Mr. Reddick. Normally, I'm not the type of person who jumps to conclusions....but it's not difficult in this case.
Justice4all
Mon, Jan 17, 2011 : 8:14 p.m.
Unfortunate for all involved. A woman in fear and possibly the victim of domestic violence, a man shot and now in jail, an officer forced to pull the trigger. In spite of what some may say I can only imagine how difficult it must be to have the power to pull the trigger and how much of a burden it must be to have actually pulled it. In case you haven't heard, this just in...http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/26521033/detail.html Shows just how difficult a job our public safety workers have.
TreeTop
Mon, Jan 17, 2011 : 8:08 p.m.
Domestic violence and not cooperating with the police is wrong and should be prosecuted according to the law. We appreciate and need our police. They have a very difficult job. We trust them to use proper procedures and proper force when caring out their difficult duties. If they make a mistake, we expect them to be honest in their reports and not try to cover it up. If every police officer involved in this situation tells the truth, then justice will prevail. There seems to be a lot of emotions and assumptions here. Let truth and justice rein for all.
Skeet
Mon, Jan 17, 2011 : 7:13 p.m.
Is there dash cam video of the shooting? Usually, the officer parks behind the vehicle during a traffic stop. I would like to see what prompted the officer to fire a weapon at him.
Little Dog
Fri, Jan 28, 2011 : 6:45 p.m.
Even so, videos do not show the whole story. Videos cannot hold in their "mind" any information known by the Officer, such as reports of possible weapon, prior violence or weapons related charges. Videos cannot see from the Officer's point of view and videos can be played and replayed and analyzed. You will never know what that Officer saw and perceived, no matter how many times you watch a video.
townie54
Mon, Jan 17, 2011 : 6:19 p.m.
right on Ghost
momRN
Mon, Jan 17, 2011 : 6:15 p.m.
Where is all this "information" coming from?? How does anyone know if the shot was "necessary" or not? Its all total speculation, that frankly makes you look foolish. For all we know, the woman who called the police could have reported that there was a weapon. I know for a fact that if the man was treated and released at any of our local hospitals- all bases were covered and he was safe to be discharged. Despite popular belief, police officers don't enjoy shooting people. And i think its a shame that that is a perception of our own local law enforcement.
CycleGirl
Mon, Jan 17, 2011 : 6:08 p.m.
Uh, just curious. I wonder if "TreeTop" could be the wife?
tdw
Mon, Jan 17, 2011 : 5:18 p.m.
@Ghost Dang! I hate it when I agree with you
A2Medic
Mon, Jan 17, 2011 : 5:10 p.m.
Bill- your abdomen has 9 anatomical sections and unless this suspect was shot in a vital area there is no need to warrant an extended stay in the hospital.. Perhaps he was shot in one of the lateral aspects of the abdomen and nothing was hit besides muscle and fat (this is likely the case) and the bullet exited without damaging any vital organs or blood vessels.. I am quite sure the trauma surgeons who tended to him have a higher degree of experience with this than you.. and how hard is it for people to comply with an officers commands.. If you didn't do something, shut your mouth, follow orders and prove your innocence in one piece.. Other wise, accepts the consequences to your actions..
Bill Wilson
Mon, Jan 17, 2011 : 4:48 p.m.
Drew, Let's see... shot in the abdomen, an injury know to cause sudden death, and they release him. And you're wondering why he's angry. HELLO!
T Kinks
Mon, Jan 17, 2011 : 4:40 p.m.
I'll admit most cops seem to be on a power trip, but after reading how the suspect mouthed off in court & threw the mic on the floor etc I can imagine what he may have done to the police officer. I believe I'll take the cop's side on this one.
faith.love.hope
Sun, Feb 20, 2011 : 3:37 a.m.
That's how he always acts..
drew_blows
Mon, Jan 17, 2011 : 4:39 p.m.
Bill Wilson: are you saying he didnt belong in court that he should still be in the hospital? You do know he would have been medically cleared to attend court, coming from the hospital. From the sound of his outbursts and the energy he displayed he sounds like he is mending well. You may now return to your sheltered life Bill.
robyn
Mon, Jan 17, 2011 : 4:35 p.m.
His outburst in the court didn't warrant being held over without bond? I think the fact that the man was involved in a domestic situation that resulted in him assaulting a woman, he has been accused (though it has not been proven) of resisting arrest or otherwise acting in a manner that led a police officer to believe he was dangerous enough to justify lethal force AND he acted out improperly in court is a pretty strong indication that he may have some anger issues. Issues that are bad enough that he is unable to control himself. If I were the person on the receiving end of that guys abuse - and he continued to have these outbursts - I don't think I'd feel safe if he was allowed to bond out of jail until I knew he was no longer a danger to me or anyone else.
faith.love.hope
Sun, Feb 20, 2011 : 3:36 a.m.
It wasn't his first offense either...
WalkingJoe
Mon, Jan 17, 2011 : 4:27 p.m.
Did anyone read the stories related to this one over the weekend! He WAS taken to the hospital and WAS TREATED AND RELEASED! Oh, I have an idea, let's just get rid of the police and we can all fend for ourselves! While we're at it let's get rid of the fire departments and ambulance services, think of all the money we'll save!!!!
Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball
Mon, Jan 17, 2011 : 4:26 p.m.
When a police officer has a gun drawn on you and says get on the ground - do it. Innocent or not - get on the ground. Do not ignore the officer. Do not reach in a pocket. Do not turn away. Do not make the situation any worse. Is that so hard to comprehend.
Bill Wilson
Mon, Jan 17, 2011 : 4:18 p.m.
Any man/woman shot in the abdomen belongs in a hospital. No if's, and's. but's, about it. This is completely irresponsible behavior, regardless of what the suspect has been accused of (and he has have the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty). I hope he sues the pants off of them.
Little Dog
Fri, Jan 28, 2011 : 6:37 p.m.
FYI, hospital personnel release people based on their medical knowledge. The courts and police officers have no say on that. Who is he going to sue? Everyone?
Joe Citizen
Tue, Jan 18, 2011 : 3:31 p.m.
I think Bill thinks that they should be in the hospital forever... or at least until they are ready to come out and go to jail. I wonder how long they would want to stay in the hospital?
Matt Cooper
Tue, Jan 18, 2011 : 10 a.m.
And where in the article does it say he wasn't taken to the hospital? I must have missed that part.
dasheek
Mon, Jan 17, 2011 : 4:11 p.m.
Interesting that people think that police officers are trigger happy. The article states that, "It was the first officer-involved shooting in the township police department's 32-year history." That means that this is the first time any officer in the department has had to pull the trigger on a suspect in almost 11,680 days and someone thinks they are trigger happy? Wow talk about skewed perception.
Kboogy
Mon, Jan 17, 2011 : 3:41 p.m.
So I was really trying to give this guy the benefit of the doubt. But his behavior in the courtroom makes it kinda difficult! If he hasn't been treated fairly, acting out like a 5 year old isn't gonna help his case any. I'm still interested in hearing what REALLY happened for the office to shoot him.
lynel
Mon, Jan 17, 2011 : 3:28 p.m.
UgottaBkidding, unless I missed something in the article, I don't see how anyone can use the RC. Do you have information about the race(s) of the parties involved?
FoxviewFarm
Mon, Jan 17, 2011 : 3:21 p.m.
2 wrongs don't make a right- but everyone knows that eluding arrest and throwing a tizzy in court usually gets you in trouble. Glad no one was seriously hurt. Waiting for the anti-gun/ use tasers vs the Tasers are the worst things ever discussions to begin. Since A2 had the autopsy report released on the other gentleman who was resisting arrest, was tased and later died, I expect someone will attempt to create some discussion. I have a solution to this- don't resist arrest, obey the law and keep your nose clean. Simple. No guns or Tasers needed.
John of Saline
Mon, Jan 17, 2011 : 3:10 p.m.
I had heard earlier that this fellow was shot in the abdomen, so when I saw the "outburst" headline, I thought of the movie Alien first. That would be a whole new problem.
DBlaine
Mon, Jan 17, 2011 : 3:10 p.m.
I'm sure everything will come out in time. Just because communication can be instantaneous online, doesn't mean investigatory processes work that way. Actually, I'm glad they don't. It takes time to figure these things out. Let's give them time.
UgottaBkidding
Mon, Jan 17, 2011 : 3:09 p.m.
@TreeTop - What's next? Say that "The police acted stupidly?" and invite both parties over for a beer? I think not. Obviously this guy is trouble and has a problem with authority. Don't even dare raise the RC on that one!!
Greggy_D
Mon, Jan 17, 2011 : 3:07 p.m.
Boo....what facts? What exactly is a "a life-threatening action"? Sounds a bit vague to me. Personally, I'd like to know precisely what Mr. Reddick did towards the officer.
Boo Radley
Mon, Jan 17, 2011 : 2:58 p.m.
Wow.... TreeTop says the suspect was shot unnecessarily, the police lied, and he was not given proper medical care. That changes everything for me. I must have missed all of those "facts" in the articles.
TreeTop
Mon, Jan 17, 2011 : 2:37 p.m.
If you got shot in the stomach unnecessarily, lied on, and not given proper medical care on top of all your other problems, you'd be upset too. Two wrongs don't make a right.
Matt Cooper
Tue, Jan 18, 2011 : 9:58 a.m.
Were you there? If not how do you know he was shot "unnecessarily"? And how do you know he was not give "proper" medical care?
WalkingJoe
Mon, Jan 17, 2011 : 2:36 p.m.
Oops sorry that should be "alleged"
WalkingJoe
Mon, Jan 17, 2011 : 2:27 p.m.
As to the article-sounds like someone has some serious authority issues on top of being an "alledged" wife beater. As to the other comments posted-whaaaat?
jjc155
Mon, Jan 17, 2011 : 2:17 p.m.
technically should every single one of these posts be removed as they are ALL "off topic"? just saying.
Townie
Mon, Jan 17, 2011 : 2:01 p.m.
Macabre Sunset: OK, that was a useful comment. Anything else?
YpsiLivin
Mon, Jan 17, 2011 : 1:37 p.m.
Macabre Sunset, The "Sponsored by the Vincent Law Firm P.C." statement doesn't count?
Macabre Sunset
Mon, Jan 17, 2011 : 1:32 p.m.
The advertisement on this page violates some of the guidelines outlined by the newspaper industry. The box around the ad should mention the sponsorship, not a comment within one paragraph separated from the advertising content.