Michigan Criminal Lawyers Blog
On Monday, April 13, Bay City police received a call from a woman claiming domestic assault. The woman was calling from a 7-Eleven store when police arrived at approximately 1:30 in the morning. The 19-year-old woman told police that she was attacked at a South End home by her boyfriend, 25-year-old Jeremiah J. Leffew.
According to a news article at Mlive.com, Leffew intimidated the victim with a pair of scissors and a frying pan; he now faces several criminal charges, including domestic violence, assault by strangulation, assault with a dangerous weapon, and interfering with an electronics communication device.
The alleged victim told police that an argument began after Leffew dumped a container of trash on the floor of the home. Leffew disputes the allegations, saying that the fracas began after his girlfriend struck him with an empty liquor bottle. Leffew claims that the victim is “crazy,” and that he did grab her wrists at one point during the argument to keep her from hitting him.
The woman claims that Leffew threw her to the ground, hit her with cushions from a couch, brandished a frying pan, came at her with a pair of scissors while threatening to kill her, and eventually choking her after pinning her down. She said that Leffew threatened to kill her and then himself because he couldn’t live without her. Leffew denies all of the allegations; his bond was set at $75,000 cash-surety. His preliminary examination is scheduled on April 30.
With allegations of domestic violence, it is often difficult to determine who actually started the altercation, or whether the person claiming to have been attacked actually attacked the other individual without solid physical evidence. If the couple in this situation had been drinking, the details become even more confused. In Leffew’s case, assault by strangulation is the most serious charge he faces, and could leave him facing up to 10 years behind bars if convicted.
Anyone who is accused of domestic violence or any violent offense should consult with an experienced Michigan criminal defense attorney immediately. Your legal rights must be protected from the very beginning; your lawyer will work to have charges dismissed when possible, advise you of your legal options, and vigorously defend your freedom.