20-Year-Old Fights Officers — Judge Furious He Was Released On Bond

Added: 2026-05-25

[00:00:00]had to point and deploy a taser.

[00:00:03]You're all right. And then another officer had to point their pistol at him at that. An eyewitness saw the defendant shove the victim while near the police station. Did you catch that exchange?

[00:00:13]The judge asked one simple yes or no question.

[00:00:16]Was a taser deployed?

[00:00:18]But the defense attorney tried to soften the context instead of answering directly, and judges hate that. That sharp interruption, that's the court signaling.

[00:00:28]Stop spinning. Just answer question. And honestly, once the words taser deployed and weapon drawn officially hit the record, the defense was suddenly playing defense on two fronts.

[00:00:40]The facts and credibility. It's an R&O causing injury that was so severe that the officer is actually seeking uh specialized medical treatment from an orthopedic surgeon. I didn't ask that, Ms. Gaines. I did not ask that.

[00:00:54]>> Yes, sir. Was the taser deployed? I just don't think she's going to do what anybody asked her to do. I asked about Your Honor, we are just um looking to address the condition of bond that requires that Mr. Hopkins be on house arrest. Prior to this matter, Mr. Hopkins was employed. As a result of the um as a result of having the tether feet no longer able to in this in this case, he was no longer able to maintain that employment. He is wishing and hoping to be able to um get new employment and um [clears throat] and is asking that the court consider a no-go to order, a no-contact order, or anything of that nature.

[00:01:47]Uh my client, Mr. Hopkins, also recently registered for the cybersecurity program. He um text me that information.

[00:01:55]I tried to send the confirmation to Ms. Barroso so that um she would be able to see it.

[00:02:01]It's my understanding that the classes are majority online, but that would be the only place that he would have to come across in our county. Otherwise, um he's just asking for some order that would allow him to work and just not have that [laughter] kind of contact.

[00:02:22]Respond.

[00:02:23]Your Honor, the bonding in this case was set at $5,000 cash or surety when we requested a $50,000 bond.

[00:02:31]Uh in this case, we're the people are uncomfortable with him being out. This was an event for a series of events that occurred where the defendant [laughter] assaulted the victim at not one but two locations. An eyewitness saw the defendant shove the victim while near the police station.

[00:02:49]The police attempted to make contact with the defendant and then he ran as a result of him resisting, picked up five counts of RNO against four different of those five counts is an RNO causing injury that was so severe that the officer is actually seeking uh specialized medical treatment from an orthopedic surgeon.

[00:03:12]>> [snorts] >> Um at this point, this is a nine >> So, hold on. There was a DV and then an officer injured?

[00:03:21]Why is he out? Your Honor, if I could um I could uh if I could address Hold on.

[00:03:27]I'll let Ms. Barroso finish and then you can address it. I just had an intermediate question. Go ahead, Ms. So, at this point, I don't think that a modification of bond removing him from being on house arrest is appropriate. We objected to uh nominal bond of $5,000 when it was originally granted.

[00:03:52]At this point, I don't think that any further reduction is appropriate.

[00:03:57]Miss King.

[00:03:58]Um, a couple things. First of all, Mr. Hopkins is here with his father. He is 20 years old. He has no prior criminal history.

[00:04:06]And reviewing the police report and the video, even the report references that there that the altercation that the incident that resulted in this charge, that there were In which charge?

[00:04:25]Um I'll start with the domestic violence.

[00:04:29]That with those charges, that um that there was a more complicated situation. I believe the officer said the report said something to the effect of um And this would also go to the um the property, that they that there had been physical altercations between the two of them, fighting between the two of them, and breaking of objects between the two of them.

[00:04:56]>> [clears throat] >> I believe that there there's more to this than um said the allegations of the domestic violence are the one of the shoving, and also I believe of Mr. um Hopkins taking his own computer back from the complainant. That's the second allegation of the domestic violence, and the resisting and obstructing is the allegations are that Mr. um Hopkins, not that Mr. Hopkins turned around and slammed someone or punched them or anything, that he pulled away.

[00:05:36]The allegation is the officer fell, and that caused the injury, and then The officer That officer fell. Yes, as he pulled away, and then subsequently four officers who were some of whom just pulled up on the scene in the video, all ran after him. And that's where the the um the resisting and obstructing comes in.

[00:05:59]And he did in fact eventually stop. It was not um it's not as if he were in a vehicle and went miles or hours away. He did stop running and he did um once they complied that once that occurred, there were no further incidents. This is one of those rulings that sounds like a partial win, but really isn't. The judge keeps the bond the same, which avoids immediate jail escalation. But listen carefully to the wording.

[00:06:28]Of rights I should. That's the judge openly saying he seriously considered locking the situation down harder.

[00:06:35]Translation, the defendant is walking on extremely thin ice heading into the preliminary exam. One bad fact, one shaky witness statement, one damaging video clip. And this case could get dramatically worse fast. So, what do you think?

[00:06:50]Was the judge being fair here, or already giving too many chances?

[00:06:55]So.

[00:06:58]Your honor, I'm sorry. That is not the characterization of the RNO. The allegations include him punching two officers in the face in the face, breaking free of their grasp, causing them to fall to the ground, twisting and seriously injuring an officer's finger.

[00:07:16]And then it was it went on for such a period of time that an officer had to point and deploy a taser.

[00:07:23]Your honor. And that another officer had to point their pistol at him at that.

[00:07:27]So, at the defendant. So, at this point, I don't think it was him passively Your honor, I had an opportunity to view the video.

[00:07:36]I just say.

[00:07:38]Well, you had an opportunity to view the video. Yes, sir.

[00:07:43]Let me ask you this.

[00:07:46]Was a taser deployed? Your honor when the as soon as >> a yes or no. Was that a was a taser deployed?

[00:07:54]>> Your honor as soon as the the officer saw him, she pointed the taser at him.

[00:08:00]This is not as soon as she saw him, she pointed the taser at him. This is not a situation where he was running and pointed the taser. I didn't ask that, Ms. Gaines. I did not ask that.

[00:08:12]Was the taser deployed?

[00:08:14]Yes, it was.

[00:08:15]>> Did an officer have to draw their weapon?

[00:08:18]I did not see that. I could not see that on the video.

[00:08:22]Ms. Rosa, are you indicating an officer had to draw their weapon? That is what was indicated to me in the filing, your honor. Yes.

[00:08:31]And then there's an officer that's injured.

[00:08:33]I again will ask the question. I don't know why this individual is out.

[00:08:38]Again, your honor, he's 20 years old. He has no prior history, and he has no reason to come back to Washtenaw County other than for school in this case.

[00:08:48]It's my understand I have not heard any information that he has had any contact with the complainant, has violated any orders. He is just asking to be able to go to work.

[00:09:00]And to be able to get a job and go to work.

[00:09:08]Your honor, would you want to hear from Mr. Hopkins' father, who's present?

[00:09:13]I don't know what he could tell me at this point in time. I'm more worried about the bond as it originally is set.

[00:09:20]I don't Does he have prior convictions for anything? No, your honor.

[00:09:31]that the original domestic was about.

[00:09:38]I mean, I trying to figure out because I just tell you, I have some serious concerns that this escalated to a point that officers are having to deploy a taser, pull their weapon.

[00:09:52]There are clearly enough officers around to in my opinion, have subdued this individual without having to do all of that. So, something else is going on.

[00:10:05]And I have and >> [clears throat] >> Your Honor, I also have a a I mean, one's bad enough, but I have two counts of domestic violence.

[00:10:15]Again, Your Honor, one of them is him taking back his own computer. That's one of the allegations.

[00:10:24]And that's why I'm saying there were thing there were things that were happening before this.

[00:10:29]That's not to excuse his behavior, but it is to say that there's a lot of context. My view of the video, initially there was one officer, then there were two, and he managed to and he ran from two, but as he's running from those two, there are cars four four and five cars are pulling up with sirens on a unarmed young man who >> [laughter] >> really really panicked. This is not someone who's had police involvement, who has a history of contact with law enforcement and the criminal justice system.

[00:11:15]Again, I'm not excusing, but the but I do think that there is a there's more I think there are more nuances to this than then the prosecutor does.

[00:11:35]Well, explain some of those then.

[00:11:38]Because I've got a victim of a DV that's injured.

[00:11:43]She is not in Oh, the domestic violence person is not injured. It was the shove and the taking of the There's no injury to her. Your [clears throat] Honor domestic violence are two misdemeanor counts. Felonies here are five counts of are five counts of >> Yeah. I see that. are not causing it.

[00:12:01]Maybe I misread that on the report, but >> Yes. the injury to the fingers is that's the officer.

[00:12:07]>> That's correct.

[00:12:08]Thank you.

[00:12:15]I don't understand this.

[00:12:17]I mean, I don't There's a lot I don't understand.

[00:12:20]How And I get there are resisting and obstructings that are filed.

[00:12:28]That some may look at as questionable in terms of the charge. I get that.

[00:12:38]But I'm also trying to figure out >> [clears throat] >> how an officer gets injured.

[00:12:52]That there are punches to the face of the officers. I mean, I This case, I don't get it. I'm I understand what you're saying, and I'm saying I did not see any punches to the face when I observed the video.

[00:13:05]I'll tell you what, I'm certainly not changing any conditions. Can you explain to me one reason why I shouldn't raise his bond?

[00:13:12]Your Honor, he has appeared for every court date, and he has not picked up any new charges. He has not had any contact with the complainant on the domestic violence or any of the officers. My understanding from him is that he has only come to Washtenaw County for court.

[00:13:28]He does not even reside in this county.

[00:13:32]And right here the entire hearing changes direction.

[00:13:35]The judge isn't just focused on the original domestic violence allegations anymore.

[00:13:40]Now he's hearing about officers injured, a taser deployment, and even a firearm being drawn. In courtroom terms, that a giant red flag for public safety concerns. And when a judge starts asking "Why is he out?" trust me defense counsel knows the temperature in the room just went up about 100°.

[00:14:01]It does not appear he's a flight risk nor that he is a danger to the community. He is here with his father.

[00:14:09]He has come to every court date and he's highly responsive to my calls and texts.

[00:14:18]And absent the no offer in this matter, we'd be looking to resolve it. Anything else from the people? No, your honor.

[00:14:30]You know what?

[00:14:32]I'm not changing his condition in the bond. I'm not at this juncture going to office bond either. Although rights I should.

[00:14:42]Of rights I don't think he should be out around tethered or not.

[00:14:46]Given that behavior.

[00:14:49]I'll let Judge Perry deal with that after she hears the preliminary examination. Bond will continue motion for bond reduction or changing condition is denied. Thank you.