The Michigan Court of Appeals has upheld the conviction and sentence of 33-year-old Clifford Schoening, convicted of breaking into a Washington Avenue apartment twice, starting a fire and crashing through a ceiling. Schoening had argued in his appeal there wasn’t sufficient evidence to convict him of first-degree arson, that his attorney failed to adequately pursue an insanity defense and that his sentence was unreasonable. The appeals court disagreed, stating the jury found the evidence sufficient and Schoening had already undergone a mental evaluation which had found him competent to stand trial. Schoening will continue to serve 25-50 years in prison for one count each of first-degree arson, second-degree home invasion and resisting police.
26-year-old Antoine Williams will continue to serve his 25-40 year prison sentence for his part in ambushing and robbing a man in November of 2016. The Michigan Court of Appeals denied Williams’ appeal which argued the court had made an error in his pre-sentence report, giving him more sentencing guideline points than he believed his case deserved. The points in question regarded Williams’ overall role in the robbery, giving him additional points for being a leader in the offense. Williams was already on parole when he and two other armed men robbed and beat another man inside an apartment in the 300 block of W. Franklin Street. Circuit Judge Susan Jordan sentenced Williams as an habitual offender after a jury found him guilty of one count each of armed robbery and felony firearms.
