EMU student charged with felony after hitting former roommate with umbrella, police say
An Eastern Michigan University student is facing a felony charge after police said she hit her former roommate over the head with an umbrella Wednesday night, leaving the victim with some scratches.
Cherelle Marquita Beckhom, 19, was arraigned this afternoon at the Washtenaw County Jail on a charge of assault with a dangerous weapon.
Beckhom is accused of hitting her 19-year-old former roommate over the head with the umbrella about 7:09 p.m. Wednesday as the victim was walking between Eastern Eateries and Village apartments on campus, police said.
The second-year students lived together last year had been arguing throughout the semester, EMU Interim Public Safety Director Bob Heighes said. Heighes said he did not have details on what the two have been fighting about.
Beckhom is scheduled to be released tonight on a promise to appear in court. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 11.
If convicted, Beckhom faces up to four years in prison.
Comments
TinyArtist
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 6:26 p.m.
If umbrellas are outlawed, only outlaws will have umbrellas. And never, ever stick your tounge out in public!
Yurmama
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 4:37 p.m.
See article on 3 X DUI driver causing accident going wrong way on I94 gets 1 to 5 Was the victim of this attack some relative of the cops or something?
Yurmama
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 3:50 p.m.
This seems inane. The prosecutor ought to revisit this decision.
Roadman
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 5:37 p.m.
Why, inane is par for the course with the Prosecutor's Office. Remember the vehicular homicide case not too long ago where one of Mackie's assistant prosecutors neglected to bring the defendant's driving record for sentencing and the culprit got off with probation? Get a speeding ticket and the City Prosecutor ALWAYS has your driving record when you go to court to fight the ticket.
Ron Granger
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 2:43 p.m.
Anyone who suggests an umbrella hit to the head is harmless should offer themselves up for demonstration. No? I didn't think so. The victim was lucky she only had scratches. She was hit in the head. You don't hit someone in the head with an object like that unless you intend to do them harm. This wasn't a couple of friends playing "batman". It also depends on the specific umbrella. Some are serious weapons, especially in a head hit. So felony? Yes. I have faith that the prosecutor will charge and prosecute appropriately.
Roadman
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 5:33 p.m.
You must be on Brian Mackie's re-election committee.
Ron Granger
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 2:18 p.m.
I want to make a *good* Penguin umbrella joke here but I keep coming up empty. Help, someone?
Michigan Reader
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 10:53 p.m.
I was thinking the exact same thing, then I came to your post. If we want help making a good Penquin joke, we'll have to flash the BatSignal. On a CLEAR night.
craigjjs
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 2:12 p.m.
I see a lawsuit against EMU for recklessly allowing students to carry umbrellas in the rain.
Roadman
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 5:32 p.m.
Don't give anyone any ideas.
Chris 8 - YPSI PRIDE
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 11:27 a.m.
A Felony? What type of umbrella? Was it one of those one we use in the backyard at the picnic table? L O L O L O L .........
jjc155
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 10:56 a.m.
Under Michigan law Battery with anything OTHER than "personal weapons" ie hands/feet is considered Felonious Assault (MCL 750.82) , since a "weapon" was used. Felonious assault is a four year felony, meaning that the MAX penalty is 4 years in prison (and 2000 dollar fine if I recall correctly). Technically since they were former room mates this "qualifies" as Domestic Assault too. The charge is appropriate, the suspect hit another subject over the head with an object, to wit an umbrella (I have no doubt that I could knock someone out with my Golf Umbrella, lol). That said this case will be ultimately pled down to Simple Assault, THEN everyone will whine and cry over the prosecutor and the court pleading everything down, LOLOLOLOL.
Ann English
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 11:43 p.m.
So an attack using a caulk gun would be a felony, too. I never considered one former coworker's hitting another coworker with one because she considered the caulk gun hers was a crime at all; nobody got prosecuted, but the attacker did lose her job with us. I think that a caulk gun could cause more harm than an umbrella.
jjc155
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 6:07 p.m.
@roadman, could be.
Roadman
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 5:32 p.m.
So a squirt gun attack is felonious?
mhirzel
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 10:37 a.m.
Prosecutors gone mad..........
sellers
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 11:22 a.m.
I don't think they were involved yet, Police make the arrest based on initial judgement, and the legal system comes in to verify the acts.
RJA
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 4:41 a.m.
I believe an umbrella could be a dangerous weapon, depending on how one strikes. Sounds like a continous cat-fight to me. Coming out with only scratches, it could have been worse. (actually stabbed or and eye poked out). I personally care less about the details. MEOW!
SW40
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 3:57 a.m.
Prosecutors authorize charges not police departments, secondly at least the suspect was arrested. If someone hit you over the head with an umbrella you might be singing a different tune. Last but not least, everything gets plead down in this county anyway. The prosecutors have to authorize what state law dictates. If the suspect would have gotten away the same people would be blasting the police asking why no arrests were made. You can't have it both ways.
63Townie
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 2:30 a.m.
So looking at someone cross-eyed and sticking your tounge out is now a misdemeanor?
Tesla
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 2 a.m.
They will plead that down to a mis demeanor if it ever goes that far. They have to charge the girl if the victim wants to proceed with the charges and the charges themselves are appropriate even though it seems silly knowing the facts that we know.
craigjjs
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 2:09 p.m.
Overcharging like this does not seem silly, it is silly. They do not have to charge a felony.
Roadman
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 1:35 a.m.
On a more serious note, there is historical precedent to believe an umbrella could be a dangerous weapon. During the late 1970s the U.S. House Select Committee on Assassinations heard from a witness claiming to be the "Umbrella Man" of Dealey Plaza on Novemeber 22,1963. The witness, Louis Witt, brought the umbrella and opened it to illustrate it was harmless. One theory floated was that JFK was shot by an umbrella which fired darts when opened, so the HSCA panel witnessed the umbrella being opened by Witt - after instructing him to point it away from the panel members. JFK conspiracy theorists continue to debate to this day who Umbrella Man was and whether he was armed with a dart-shooting deadly weapon.
sellers
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 11:21 a.m.
Nearly any object could be used as a weapon, however we must use common judgement on classification. A pistol, is easily deadly if gestured in the wrong way, an axe, also deadly. A fork, not deadly, but you could see how it could be used to kill someone. I would like to hope that this is some overeager officer/department trying to set a precedent and nip catplay in the bud, and I'm hopeful that prosecutor will reduce to just a misdemeanor or that more details come out to justify the accusation. We do have to remember, Assault is fear of the danger, while Battery is the actual act, so we'll have to see.
smokeblwr
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 1:34 a.m.
Catfight!
Roadman
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 1:20 a.m.
"Assault with a dangerous weapon"? With an umbrella causing scratches? You are joking? Right? Four years in prison? Geez! What about all the recent vehicular homicide and serious injury cases that Mackie's office has prosecuted where the assailant gets plea-based probation? This is one of the reasons County Prosecutor Brian Mackie needs to be voted out of office next year.
Ryan
Thu, Sep 29, 2011 : 11:27 p.m.
It's insane that this woman is being charged with a felony for hitting someone with an umbrella. Ever wonder why our criminal justice system is so clogged up? Stupid stuff like this is a big part of it. Americans have become so weak and foolish that we have to get the police and courts involved in every little thing. I wonder how much we will spend investigating, negotiating, and possibly prosecuting this case? Even $1 is too much to waste on something like this. Absolutley insane.
jrigglem
Thu, Sep 29, 2011 : 11:13 p.m.
"Beckhom is accused of hitting her 19-year-old former roommate over the head with the umbrella about 7:09 p.m. Wednesday as the victim was walking between Eastern Eateries and Village apartments on campus, police said." Correct me if I'm wrong because it has been a couple years since I was on campus but Eastern Eateries is in the FYC, right? That seems like a far walk to do an assault. She only hit her once and is being charged with a felony? The girl being assaulted should have ran either into the Towers or the student center. This story just seems sketchy, and OMG did she have to go to the hospital to be treated for those few scratches??!!!
Linda Peck
Thu, Sep 29, 2011 : 10:51 p.m.
Gee, I think I may have been guilty of this at some point in the distant past - arrest me now, throw me in jail, and throw away the key!!! Confiscate all umbrellas!!!
David Paris
Thu, Sep 29, 2011 : 10:45 p.m.
Felony? Seriously? Is EMU the new Singapore? "leaving the victim with some scratches." Does Not Equal "assault with a dangerous weapon." Best of Luck to the Both of you!
Ricebrnr
Thu, Sep 29, 2011 : 10:45 p.m.
OMG!!! Time to register and/or ban those things! After all what do we NEED them for? You can use a rain slicker which can us used as a bludgeon!
Charlie Brown's Ghost
Fri, Sep 30, 2011 : 12:43 a.m.
Why weren't the umbrellas locked-up? This is so irresponsible.
Craig Lounsbury
Thu, Sep 29, 2011 : 11:23 p.m.
umbrella's don't assault people people with umbrellas do. ;)