Brothers ordered to stand trial in shooting death of Chris King outside Kmart in Ypsilanti Township
Moments after he allegedly shot Chris King in the back, a visibly agitated Michael Crockett sent a text message from a stranger’s cell phone implicating himself as the gunman, the owner of that phone said in district court Friday.
Michelle King, no relation to the shooting victim, recounted how Crockett and his brother, Charles Pippins, quickly walked up to her at about 4 p.m. on July 25 outside the Kmart along Golfside Road. They said they needed to use her phone.
Crockett told her he was just robbed and was holding his head in his hands. He also had a gun partially tucked in his waistband, King said.
“He was holding his hands at the top of his head, like he was frustrated. Like wanted to scream, and he looked like he wanted to cry,” King said, crying herself while testifying at a preliminary hearing for both brothers Friday.
Michael Crockett will stand trial for murder.
Crockett, 20, and Pippins, 17, are facing murder charges. At the conclusion of Friday's hearing, District Judge Julie Creal ordered both young men to be bound over to Washtenaw County Circuit Court on the charges.
King, the witness, identified a shackled Crockett and his brother in court Friday as the ones who used her phone.
While Crockett was using the phone, King said she noticed a third man she had seen earlier with Crockett and Pippins in the parking lot. He was repeatedly falling down as he tried to cross Golfside Road, she testified.
King became suspicious and called police as soon as Crockett returned the phone. She also said she became concerned for the 15 girls she was supervising at a Girl Scouts fundraiser outside the Kmart store.
It wasn’t until later that night that King scrolled though her text messages and saw one Crockett sent stating he had just shot someone, she said. It was unclear from testimony to whom the text message was sent, but witnesses said both Crockett and Pippins were picked up within minutes by an SUV that stopped along Golfside Road.
Before the preliminary hearing began Friday, Tina Crockett, the mother of Crockett and Pippins, pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact of a felony crime. She admitted she drove her sons around Washtenaw County in an effort to keep them away from police investigating the shooting.
![Thumbnail image for Tina Loray Crockett[1].jpg](http://www.annarbor.com/assets_c/2010/07/Tina Loray Crockett[1]-thumb-150x186-49055.jpg)
Tina Crockett pleaded guilty to being an accessory.
Assistant Prosecutor Paul Barnett said three other felony charges will be dismissed as long as Tina Crockett gives a formal statement to detectives, takes a polygraph test and agrees to testify in any future proceedings regarding King’s death.
Crockett, 37, faces up to five years in prison at sentencing on Oct. 13.
David Reynolds, an Ypsilanti resident also charged with being an accessory after the fact, waived his right to a preliminary hearing during a brief court appearance Friday. He is free after posting bond and had an electronic tether removed.
Michael Crockett’s claim that he was the victim of a robbery contradicted what Chris King told police when they found him on the ground at a nearby apartment complex. King, a former standout track star at Saline High School, told Deputy James Roy he was robbed by two men and was shot while trying to flee, Roy testified.
King was conscious, coherent and in severe pain for several minutes as Roy and then paramedics tried to stop the bleeding, Roy said. A handgun was on the ground within arm’s reach, he added.
King, 20, died in the emergency room. Washtenaw County Medical Examiner Bader Cassin testified the bullet entered the middle of his back near the spine and traveled upward, piercing his heart.
Laura Graham, Crockett’s attorney, asked that a count of assault with intent to rob be dismissed because there was no corroboration of King’s statement. Erica Julien, Pippins’ attorney, argued all charges should be dismissed against her client because there was no evidence of his intent to rob King or any evidence that he had a gun.
Creal denied the requests and ordered the pair to appear in circuit court for pre-trial hearings on Oct. 13. They remain in custody without bond.
Art Aisner is a freelance writer for AnnArbor.com. Reach the news desk at news@annarbor.com or 734-623-2530.
Comments
MAM
Thu, Mar 10, 2011 : 7:31 p.m.
No, you know what is sad about this, how disrespectful you people are on here!!!! King was one of my VERY close friends.. and i find these comments very disrespectfull. get a life and grow the hell up!!!!!! R.I.P CRK. Miss you every day!!!!!
tommysnell
Sat, Sep 18, 2010 : 12:32 p.m.
What a disgrace on so many levels... Is someone going to go back to the KMart parking lot and clean up all the broken glass bottles "drank in memory or poured out in honor of" and all the candle wax, tins and wrappers from the vigil? That's not cool. Neither was the funeral procession I waited for that had kids blasting music in it! Soo Disrespectful, again on so many levels.
MichEmployee
Sun, Sep 12, 2010 : 8:24 p.m.
When this case was 1st reported on Ann Arbor.com alot of the facts were not mentioned. You cannot believe everything that is written. This is simply because they don't know about the behind scene negotiations. The facts are slowing coming out. Lets just wait for the end results and stop the chatter. Now you be blessed.
Ricebrnr
Sun, Sep 12, 2010 : 8:03 p.m.
"The suspect looks like is coming home. Thank you Jesus." Huh??? The quotes below from the article contradict your statement. "At the conclusion of Friday's hearing, District Judge Julie Creal ordered both young men to be bound over to Washtenaw County Circuit Court on the charges." "Creal denied the requests and ordered the pair to appear in circuit court for pre-trial hearings on Oct. 13. They remain in custody without bond."
MichEmployee
Sun, Sep 12, 2010 : 7:35 p.m.
Both victim and suspect had an illegal gun in their posession. I'll take the gun charge with self defense any day over 1st degree murder. It's too bad that young man had to lose his life and I really feel bad for the victim's family.The 20 yo suspect has a chance to repent and ask for forgiveness. We ALL fall short and on our "BEST day we all need to go to hell." The suspect looks like is coming home. Thank you Jesus.
Ricebrnr
Sun, Sep 12, 2010 : 6:07 p.m.
The equation above is missing that the underage "suspect" was illegally carrying a firearm and fled the scene. Also missing is that the suspect who had the opportunity to report the altercation and shooting to 911 at his first opportunity. Rather he texted an as yet unknown person. Had he done so he could have assumed the mantle of "victim" and the victim the mantle of "suspect" simply by being the first to report. Finally as reported the suspect was found and arrested rather than taken into custody after surrendering. The math on the missing items does not color the suspect in favorable terms.
MichEmployee
Sun, Sep 12, 2010 : 2:57 p.m.
2 guns found, 2 shots fired from 2 dif. guns. Suspect was fired on 1st. Suspect returned fire in self defense. Suspect's wallet and cell phone found on deceased victim. Witness testified "suspect" was being beaten up and lifted up in air off his feet and out of his shoes. Suspect brother had no contact with victim whatsoever. Charges dropped on the mother and she was released on fri. David, family friend and was released also. Now you do the math.!
Ricebrnr
Sun, Sep 12, 2010 : 7:38 a.m.
Well in theory it should be a snap to identify who owned what gun. After all all handguns must be registered in Michigan. Why it would be shocking, shocking to hear once again that gun registries do nothing to solve crimes.
glimmertwin
Sun, Sep 12, 2010 : 4:41 a.m.
The Kmart security camera leads one to believe that the shot was fired from the grassy knoll.
djm12652
Sat, Sep 11, 2010 : 4:31 p.m.
Alleged thugs...2 down and how many more to go? It's ridiculous that anyone should have to live in any town where one might be afraid to go out to shop, even at a freakin K-Mart! I can't believe the prosecutor didn't "know" who the text was sent to...that info, with a warrant, is easily available.
dmae
Sat, Sep 11, 2010 : 1:03 p.m.
Hi, does anyone know who this David Reynolds is? Is he related to the 2 brothers? Just wondering, thanks!
ffej440
Sat, Sep 11, 2010 : 11:17 a.m.
Sounds like the real questions are- Did Crocketts gun match the fatal bullit? Whos prints are on the gun found near the victim?