GUILTY MI - April Millsap, 14, Armada, 24 July 2014 #2

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Indy Anna said:
The VanCallises' attorney, Dean Ankouny, said he's been reviewing evidence in the Macomb County case.

"There is an enormous amount of evidence," Ankouny said.
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~ snipped ~

http://www.freep.com/story/news/loc...ged-armada-murder-says-son-innocent/17639163/
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I think the attorney displayed a poor choice in wording here. I think he means there is a tremendous amount items and information to sift through. The word evidence carries certain implications JMO
 
tlcya said:
I think the attorney displayed a poor choice in wording here. I think he means there is a tremendous amount items and information to sift through. The word evidence carries certain implications JMO
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I think he got it right the first time...lol
 
Attorney for defendant in April Millsap murder withdraws from case

Published On: Nov 13 2014 02:59:12 PM EST

ARMADA, Mich. -
The attorney for a man charged with killing a 14-year-old girl as she walked her dog in southeastern Michigan has withdrawn from the case.

James VanCallis is charged with first-degree murder, felony murder and assault with intent to commit sexual penetration in the July 24 death of April Millsap. He was named a person of interest in the Armada murder case on Aug. 19.

During a hearing Thursday, a judge approved attorney Dean Ankouny's motion to withdraw from the case. Vancallis will now get a court-appointed attorney...

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/...l-millsap-murder-withdraws-from-case/29701418

Can't say that this comes as a surprise to me as I thought that Mr. Ankouny was in over his head defending this client. :moo:
 
Lawyer for Millsap suspect quits case

4:58 p.m. EST November 13, 2014

omeo – — The mother of the man accused in the death of an Armada teen said they can no longer afford the lawyer defending her son.

James Donald VanCallis, who police say hit 14-year-old April Millsap in the head, dragged her into the woods and beat her to death, appeared in 42nd District Court in Romeo for a pre-exam conference Thursday.

During the short proceeding, his lawyer, Dean Ankouny, asked 42nd District Judge Denis LeDuc to appoint an attorney to represent VanCallis and then withdrew as counsel.

Ankouny didn't divulge after the conference the reason behind him stepping down, but VanCallis' mother said it was a matter of money...

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/ne...3/lawyer-millsap-suspect-quits-case/18985847/
 
He may have confessed to his lawyer, so he would need a new one if he did. If they are using a "not guilty" defense.
 
There haven't been any postings on the JVC "support" site for more than a month. I guess the family has finally figured out that no one is going to support their child-killer son/brother :mad:
 
colette said:
He may have confessed to his lawyer, so he would need a new one if he did. If they are using a "not guilty" defense.
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The article in post #146 suggests the defense attorney withdrew because the family couldn't afford his fees. A plea of not guilty is not the same thing as saying, "I'm innocent." It can also mean that even though you are guilty of the offense, you intend to make the prosecution prove that you are guilty. A defense attorney can know her client is guilty and represent him without fear of lying to the court because the not guilty plea is understood to mean, regardless of whether the defendant is actually guilty, the State will have to prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Though it pertains to Ohio law, this website does a good job of explaining the meaning of not guilty pleas:

[Q: If I know I did it, is it lying to plead not guilty?
A: In the context of our legal system, it is not “dishonest” to enter a not guilty plea even when you know you committed an offense. By pleading not guilty, you are formally denying that you are guilty of each and every element of the offense charged against you. If you are charged with a criminal offense and you are innocent, this is the plea you would enter. But you must also see your denial of the charge through a not guilty plea in the broader context of the procedure in criminal cases. By pleading not guilty, you are asking the prosecutor to present evidence that establishes all the elements of the charge against you beyond a reasonable doubt. If you are charged with a crime, you have the right to hold the government to its obligation of proving beyond a reasonable doubt that you committed a crime. In other words, you can honestly plead not guilty because, in the eyes of the law, you are considered to be innocent until the government proves you guilty.
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https://www.ohiobar.org/forpublic/resources/lawyoucanuse/pages/lawyoucanuse-572.aspx
 
Veteran criminal defense attorney Azhar Sheikh has been appointed to represent a St. Clair County man accused in the slaying of April Millsap. Sheikh will be paid via taxpayer dollars. Preliminary hearing Dec 15...

His client likely will not waive the proceeding, he stated.

“This is an opportunity to see what the prosecution has,” Sheikh said. “There’s no smoking gun. We need to see the how and why they reached their conclusion to bring charges.”

http://www.macombdaily.com/general-...ey-named-to-represent-millsaps-accused-killer
 
Thanks OkieGranny. Here is the actual Twitter link. Will be back after lunch break 1 PM EST today. 2 different sets of witnesses saw April and VanCallis that day on the trail. A man with his daughters and a woman bike riding with her husband. The last witness (the woman) , said VanCallis seemed angry. I am surprised he killed April then after being seen with her by so many witnesses, but he was angry and probably had no control. The way he murdered April showed that.


https://twitter.com/THCourtCoverage...tw_p=embeddedtimeline&tw_w=369806578397884416
 
Witness: Millsap had 'tense' smile before death

Oralandar Brand-Williams 12:50 p.m. EST December 15, 2014

Romeo — An Oakland University professor identified James VanCallis as the man she saw with 14-year-old April Millsap the day the girl was found dead on the Macomb Orchard Trail.

Mary Stein testified Monday during the preliminary examination for the 32-year-old from Goodells in St. Clair County before 42nd District Judge Denis LeDuc, saying VanCallis was the man she witnessed talking with Millsap in a wooded area of the trail in July...

...April died of blunt head trauma and asphyxia due to neck compression, according to the Macomb County Medical Examiner's Office.

VanCallis faces three charges: first-degree premeditated murder and felony murder, both of which carry a maximum penalty of life in prison, and assault with the intent to commit sexual penetration...

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/macomb-county/2014/12/15/vancallis-millsap/20427605/
 
TH Court Coverage @THCourtCoverage · 3h3 hours ago

Stein said she felt the composite sketch of the suspect looked younger than she remembered. She also thought he didn't have curly hair.
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TH Court Coverage @THCourtCoverage · 52m52 minutes ago

"I’ve looked at tens of thousands of records and dozens of cases," Hess said.
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TH Court Coverage @THCourtCoverage · 53m53 minutes ago

Hess specializes in retrieving, analyzing cell phone information.
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TH Court Coverage @THCourtCoverage · 54m54 minutes ago

Christopher Hess, a special agent with the FBI, has taken the stand.


 
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