Two men accused of murdering an Eastern Michigan football player last October will go to trial on murder charges. Demarius Reed was the victim of a homicide on October 18 outside his off-campus apartment.
On Monday a plausible cause hearing was held in a district court. Lawyers for the defendants, Kristopher Pratt and Ed Thomas, made the argument there was not enough evidence to support any accusations of murder.
“At best, they have indicated there was a shooting, that a death occurred and perhaps Ed Thomas was present,” said public defender Gina Noveskey, Thomas’s attorney. “I don’t believe the people have shown that Ed Thomas had any role whatsoever in the death of Demarius Reed.”
That argument fell flat in front of a distract judge, although a charge of conspiracy to commit armed robbery was dropped before a hearing was scheduled for March 25. A jury will be asked to decide between convicting of first or second-degree murder for either defendant.
Photo: Eastern Michigan Athletics