Man Acquitted In EMU Football Player's Death Faces Attempted Murder Charges In Another Case
ANN ARBOR (WWJ/AP) - A man who was acquitted of murder and other charges in the 2013 robbery and killing of Eastern Michigan University wide receiver Demarius Reed is facing attempted murder charges in another case.
Ed Thomas, 22, is accused of shooting at two men in Detroit on May 20 after he believed they were following him. Wayne County prosecutor's office spokeswoman Maria Miller says Thomas is accused of getting out of his car and firing multiple shots.
Thomas was arraigned earlier this week on two counts of assault with intent to murder, two counts of assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder, and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon.
A jury trial is set for Oct. 13.
Charges of open murder and robbery were dropped against Thomas last July in connection with Reed's October 2013 death at an off-campus apartment in Ypsilanti. Co-defendant Kristopher Pratt pleaded guilty to second-degree murder as part of a deal that required him to testify against Thomas, who refused to plead.
Pratt testified that Thomas was the one who initially spotted Reed, a 20-year-old wide receiver from Chicago. Prosecutors contended that Thomas even handed Pratt the gun he used to kill Reed. After Pratt shot Reed once in the chest, Thomas stole Reed's wallet and iPhone, then Pratt shot Reed again in the face, according to prosecutors.
Thomas's lawyer Lorne Brown told jurors that Pratt lied to get a plea deal and that his testimony was "bought and paid for." Brown said Thomas was just hanging out with Pratt the night of the killing and wasn't part of the crime.
Pratt was sentenced to 18 to 30 years in prison.
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