TRAVERSE CITY — The preliminary examination for a teen involved in a Nov. 15 fatal shooting has been adjourned until next month.
Hunter Vanderwall, 18, of Traverse City, who is being charged in connection with the death of Lawrence Boyd IV, 32, and related crimes had his preliminary examination adjourned on Tuesday and rescheduled for March 16.
Vanderwall was arraigned on charges of felony murder, larceny from an auto, and resisting and obstructing police on Nov. 18. Officials believe that Vanderwall and Eugene Thompson, 17, were together on Nov. 15 when Thompson shot Boyd, a Traverse City Parking Services employee, in the Larry C. Hardy parking deck in the 300-block of East State Street.
Vanderwall attended Tuesday’s hearing virtually from the Grand Traverse County Jail where he is being held after bond was denied.
The preliminary examination was originally scheduled for Tuesday but attorneys on both sides were expecting an adjournment.
Jesse Williams, Vanderwall’s attorney, requested that Judge Robert Cooney adjourn the hearing for no more than 30 days and said that his team had recently submitted a request to the court.
Grand Traverse County Assistant Prosecutor Kyle Attwood told Cooney that he was not expecting the hearing to happen and that he “did not want to bring in witnesses unnecessarily.” It was his understanding, after discussing the matter with Williams prior to the hearing, that if the court did not adjourn, it would be waived with the idea that it could be remanded, or held a second time, in the future, he said.
Williams said his main concern with moving forward was ensuring that Vanderwall understood his legal options, given his age. He said this is a “serious case” and told the judge his client is “18 years old and doesn’t understand much.”
Cooney asked if Williams was suggesting that Vanderwall had a competency issue and pointed out “that obviously changes the whole course of this case, which is fine if that’s truly what needs to happen.”
Williams said it is not a competency issue, “it’s just getting an 18-year-old kid to grasp the depth.” He said the case was complicated and “confusing for myself.”
Williams said that a plea offer was being discussed in the case and was concerned that some of the “complex and important” details and options, including moving forward to a trial, were not fully understood by his client.
Attwood said that the parties haven’t arrived at an agreement but they are having “continued conversations about possibilities.” He said that when his office engages in plea discussions they speak with the victim’s family “to get their input on what they would like to see happen, what they feel is appropriate,” and balance it with community interests.
Williams said there were other complicating factors in the case, including thousands of documents, co-defendants and obscure case law and argued that granting the adjournment was “more than reasonable” and that “wise counsel” would delay the hearing.
Cooney pointed out that the court had already granted a 60-day adjournment to explore issues and review evidence.
Attwood agreed with Williams that it was a “complex case” and said he would not oppose the adjournment. He said that discovery has been ongoing, with attorneys receiving reports as recently as the last couple of weeks, but he was not aware of any more discovery coming.
Cooney granted the adjournment and told Williams to take some time to consider if there’s a competency issue to be raised or not. Williams said that if competency was an issue, he would let the prosecutor know immediately.
“I’m going to give you two weeks, and we’re going to be here, and we’re going to have a preliminary examination or a waiver or whatever it’s going to be. But that’s it. Two weeks,” Cooney told the attorneys.