Saline teenager faces trial for armed robbery
One of the Saline teenagers accused of armed robbery during a July drug deal will stand trial after her case was sent to Washtenaw County Trial Court Tuesday, according to court records.
Emily Beach, 16, is charged with two counts of armed robbery related to a July 27 incident when police said Beach set up a drug deal with another teenager she knew in Saline. Police say Beach called the drug dealer, who was then robbed at gunpoint by four men while his girlfriend watched.
Beach will have a pretrial hearing at 1:30 p.m. Dec. 1 in front of Washtenaw County Trial Court Judge David Swartz, according to court records. She is free after posting 10 percent of her $10,000 bond in September.
James Brewer, 16, is the other teenager charged in the case. Brewer was allegedly among the four men who robbed the drug dealer, taking an ounce of marijuana, according to police. Brewer is charged with two counts of armed robbery and one charge of assault with a dangerous weapon.
According to police, Beach called a drug dealer she knew and, when the dealer went outside with his girlfriend, Brewer and three other men jumped the man. One person pointed a gun at the drug dealer and hit him with it before leaving the scene.
There are no plans to charge the drug dealer at this time, according to police.
If convicted of the armed robbery charges, both Beach and Brewer face a maximum sentence of life in prison. Both of the teenagers have been charged as adults.
Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
Basic Bob
Fri, Oct 21, 2011 : 4:22 a.m.
Sorry, I'm having a really hard time imagining the 9-1-1 call. "Someone held me up and took my marijuana." If I were in the dealer/victim's situation, I think I'd write it off as a consequence of a bad decision (selling illegal drugs) and figure out how to replace the money I owe my supplier (e.g., stealing, borrowing, pawning). Also making a mental note on how to avoid this happening again. Talking to the police would be way down the list of ways to deal with it. And I don't get putting 16-year-olds in prison for life either. I think they are still young enough to change.
RJA
Fri, Oct 21, 2011 : 3:48 a.m.
No plans to charge the drug dealer (at this time) !! A 16 yr. old will not pull (the wool) over a Saline Police Officer's eye.
Huron74
Thu, Oct 20, 2011 : 4:13 p.m.
Another casualty of the drug war. If I want to buy a few bottles of rare wine or 40 year-old whiskey I don't need to set up a clandestine purchase with people I don't know with cash only terms. If I did then there would be robberies for beverage alcohol too. Google "prohibition" or "The Volstead Act" for further examples.
cinnabar7071
Thu, Oct 20, 2011 : 5:04 p.m.
I'll just look at all the wasted lives drugs leave behind. In my 50 years here on planet earth I know more then a few people who are no longer here because of drugs. Nothing like seeing first hand what drugs do to people and familys.
obviouscomment
Thu, Oct 20, 2011 : 3:23 p.m.
I'm still at a loss as to why these teenagers would be charged as adults and yet no charges are being filed against the drug dealer...especially since it seems that the drug dealer was underage. Even if it was legal to sell drugs, would a teenager be allowed to do so? Oh and where are all the "nothing like that ever happens in saline" people? it kind of makes me feel like saline is saying: "we can't tolerate these kids committing violent crimes in our neighborhoods...but as long as they are quietly selling drugs we'll overlook that."
Huron74
Thu, Oct 20, 2011 : 4:06 p.m.
With out his testimony the prosecution has no case. Or so it seems to me and I hasten to point out I am not a lawyer.
Huron74
Thu, Oct 20, 2011 : 2:39 p.m.
The cops need the dealer's testimony to make this prosecution prevail in court it seems to me. His/her lucky day; He didn't get shot; He didn't get busted or prosecuted or at least not "...at this time."
Huron74
Thu, Oct 20, 2011 : 2:34 p.m.
I thought Ann Arbor.com didn't name juveniles in news stories?
Jim Knight
Thu, Oct 20, 2011 : 2:37 p.m.
Huron74: Both teenagers have been charged as adults.
ffej440
Thu, Oct 20, 2011 : 2:10 p.m.
Not exactly free.. The Saline PD will be on this guy like glue. With 50% of the nation wanting change in the law, most of us would agree that the armed robber is the real threat.
anti-thug
Thu, Oct 20, 2011 : 12:40 p.m.
what's with saline teenagers lately ,they have become worst then ypsi's?
jen
Wed, Oct 26, 2011 : 6:07 p.m.
Saline does not even close compare to Ypsi...a few things happen in Saline and everyone wants to talk about how bad Saline is...come on...maybe those teenagers moved here from YPSI!!!
OLDTIMER3
Thu, Oct 20, 2011 : 11:01 a.m.
And the drug dealer goes free?