MACOMB COUNTY, Mich. (WXYZ) — The Macomb County Prosecutor tells us he did not know Ehmani Davis had already died, when he issued four criminal charges against him just yesterday. Following our sit down, we came to the courthouse to get records, but were told they did not receive any charging paperwork and Eastpointe Police are saying the same thing.
Prosecutor Lucido is also discussing his office’s review of a June 9 Eastpointe shooting incident that led to the arrest of 19 year old Ehmani Davis.
Davis is the same man who police in Detroit shot and killed on July 6, after he shot and killed police officer Loren Courts. Lucido says on June 9, witnesses did not identify Davis as a shooter who fired into a crowd of people contrary to prior information.
“The reality is, we didn’t have enough for AWIM or assault with intent to murder for shooting into a crowd,” says Lucido. He adds that on June 21, a warrant request by police came in and was granted a day later on the 22nd for gun possession. Yet, Davis was not in custody while a handgun he allegedly ditched was being analyzed at a crime lab.
We asked, “If someone looks at this and says June 21 you got a warrant request, yet he was still on the street what would you say?” Lucido replied, “True. It may take time. You don’t drive through a window, and receive a signed warrant to go arrest somebody. This case still needs an investigation.”
Fast forward to yesterday. On July 7, Lucido says he filed four counts against Davis, including felonies of CCW, firearm possession, tampering and misdemeanor reckless use. He says he did not know Davis was dead when they filed more charges yesterday.
Later by phone, he added that both police and the court had no charging files, because they declined not to move further in the case once they learned he was dead.
As for amount of time it took to bring additional charges, Lucido says this case was treated like many others with a gun, that did not involve injury or death.
“Process in the prosecutor’s office is first in and first out, unless it’s a homicide.” says Lucido.
The prosecutor says a lack of staffing in his warrants division is something he continues to be faced with. He says Davis’s warrant request was one of a number waiting for processing.
