Suspect in fatal shooting of former Saline athlete pleads guilty to manslaughter
The gunman in the fatal shooting of a former star Saline athlete has pleaded guilty to reduced charges.
Court records show Michael Crockett pleaded guilty Wednesday to an added count of manslaughter in the July slaying of Chris King in Ypsilanti Township. He also pleaded guilty to one count of carrying a concealed weapon and will be sentenced on April 27. Prosecutors will drop counts of open murder and assault with intent to rob at that time.
Michael DeShawn Crockett
David Reynolds, who was also charged as an accessory, pleaded guilty to attempted obstruction of police in March and will be sentenced in May, records show.
At a preliminary hearing last fall, several witnesses said they saw Crockett and Pippins wrestling with the victim in the parking lot and heard loud popping sounds. They saw King stagger across Golfside before he collapsed within a nearby apartment complex. The former Saline High School track star was pronounced dead upon arrival at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital.
Pippins, Tina Crockett and Reynolds remain free on bond pending sentencing. Crockett remains in custody at the Washtenaw County Jail.
Comments
TT
Mon, Apr 4, 2011 : 1:12 a.m.
Once again prosecutors fail to protect the public from a bunch of predators who will without a doubt be back on the street shortly to kill again, maybe this time your wife or kids or mine. I cant imagine the betrayal this guys' parents must feel. We have all been betrayed Can't understand why no recall effort is being mounted when the jeopardy these folks are repeatedly subjecting Washtenaw county citizens to is plain for all to see. What a disgrace.
coffeequeen
Sun, Apr 3, 2011 : 2:32 a.m.
There is a bigger story here
joshallen
Wed, Apr 6, 2011 : 4:48 p.m.
THERES DEFF MORE TO THE STORY
Macabre Sunset
Sat, Apr 2, 2011 : 3:20 p.m.
There's a bigger story here. This is absolutely outrageous.
actionjackson
Sat, Apr 2, 2011 : 1:07 p.m.
April Fools right? Hard to believe otherwise.
rinmem10
Sat, Apr 2, 2011 : 12:34 p.m.
Dumbfounded!
Peter Jameson
Fri, Apr 1, 2011 : 7:28 p.m.
Another slap on the wrist if you ask me!
amazonwarrior
Fri, Apr 1, 2011 : 3:22 p.m.
Art, correction needed: "Pippins pleaded guilty to an added count of being an accessory after the [fact] and also will be...." I am dumbfounded and extremely disgusted by the prosecutors actions (or lack thereof) on this case. I think we, the TAXPAYERS, deserve an explanation for this decision, and it had better be a good one. No wonder the crime rate is going up in this area. Criminals know they will receive nothing more than a slap on the wrist and told "now, don't do that again". Un-freaking-believable!
Jen Eyer
Fri, Apr 1, 2011 : 3:38 p.m.
Thank you. That has been corrected.
KeepingItReal
Fri, Apr 1, 2011 : 2:24 p.m.
For those of you who feel that these people got off with fairly easy sentences, I would like for you to look at things from another perspective. The Black community of Washtenaw County just lost one of its members to death...he will never return, and four others to prison with felony records. The one will never be able to contribute to his community and the four others once they are released from prison with face insurmountable odds of making a successful re-entrance to our community and most likely will end up re-offending unless the attitude toward felons change by the time they exit prison. Sadly, the Black community is so silent on these tragedies that its deafening.
Macabre Sunset
Sat, Apr 2, 2011 : 3:22 p.m.
No. The Washtenaw County community lost one of its members to a violent death. And four violent criminals need to be locked up for a long, long time, or they will undoubtedly offend again. If you're focused on the skin color of the next person they will murder, statistics indicate it will more likely be black.
Ricebrnr
Fri, Apr 1, 2011 : 8:35 p.m.
And the consequences of poor decisions has what to do with race? Just about any answer to thatwould make one sound racist..
rs
Fri, Apr 1, 2011 : 2:46 p.m.
I don't understand why you'd turn this would be a race issue. The "Black community" didn't lose somebody due to this violence, the entire community did. And if these thugs are gunning down innocent people in parking lots then they should be taken out of society, regardless of race, and they shouldn't be getting a reduced sentence because our prosecutors don't want to go through the work of preparing a case and going to trial.
Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball
Fri, Apr 1, 2011 : 2:22 p.m.
A entire family committing a murder together. I am speechless. . May Mr. King rest in peace.
joshallen
Wed, Apr 6, 2011 : 4:49 p.m.
NEVER HEARD THAT THEY ALL WAS CHARGED WITH MURDER WOW U JUST SPEAKING OUT HUH
ferdcom
Fri, Apr 1, 2011 : 2:43 p.m.
What???
Mr. Ed
Fri, Apr 1, 2011 : 2:02 p.m.
Manslaughter what is wrong with the case. Lack of witnesses something must be wrong with the case to drop a open murder case to manslaughter. Art you need to did and be the reporter you are. The real story is why they let this guy get away with murder.
coffeequeen
Sun, Apr 3, 2011 : 2:37 a.m.
I wonder if based on what the witnesses had to say, maybe it is manslaughter.
rs
Fri, Apr 1, 2011 : 2:06 p.m.
It happened in a K-Mart parking lot. I'd guess they not only have witnesses but K-Mart's parking lot surveillance footage.
rs
Fri, Apr 1, 2011 : 1:54 p.m.
Another bang-up job by our prosecutor's office. They gun down a guy in a K-Mart parking lot and the prosecutor pleas it down to man slaughter with his brother gets ATTEMPTED obstruction??? I'd say he did more than attempt it. Its nice the prosecutor gets to lighten the work load with all these slap-on-the-wrist pleas. God forbid they actually do their job and take a murder case to trial once in a while.