By JAMES MITCHELL
Sunday Times Newspapers
TRENTON — Barring any last-minute agreements, a man and woman will face a jury trial this week and stand accused of multiple felonies in what police called a “drug- or gang-related” shooting.
Berquette Ali Wahla, 22, and Patsy Clark Gregg, 50, both of Flat Rock, pleaded not guilty to a series of charges first filed in November 2013. According to police reports Wahla and Gregg allegedly confronted a man outside the Nottingham Knolls apartments in the 3600 block of Van Horn Road.
Police Chief Steve Voss said the confrontation was believed to be drug-related and ended with gunfire that sent a 31-year-old man to the hospital with non life-threatening injuries.
Last week’s scheduled trial date was postponed at the request of Wayne County prosecutors. A final conference for both defendants is set for Tuesday before a jury trial begins Wednesday before Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Margaret Van Houten.
Wahla originally had been charged with six felonies including assault with intent to murder. That allegation and three other counts were dismissed in December, and Wahla stands charged with two felony weapons possession counts. Wahla previously served three years in prison for felony firearms and assault charges and was released in 2012.
Gregg pleaded not guilty to five counts including assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder and aggravated assault.
Wahla and Gregg were taken into custody less than 12 hours after police responded to reports of gunshots after witness descriptions pointed investigators to an apartment complex in Flat Rock. Trenton police made the arrest with cooperation from Woodhaven and Gibraltar police and the Downriver Mutual Aid Special Weapons and Tactics team.
Both remained in custody on cash bonds of $250,000 for Wahla and $150,000 for Gregg.
(James Mitchell can be reached at [email protected].)