Trial in Rickman Stabbing Death Scheduled for Oct. 10

PONTIAC — The in the of Johnathan Rickman, 17, of West Bloomfield will stand trial Oct. 10.

Two families sat divided by seven Oakland County Sheriffs deputies in the small, packed court room of Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Wendy Potts Wednesday. The defendant, dressed in a yellow Oakland County Children’s Village uniform, sat in chains in the jury box during his pretrial exam.

The Oakland County Prosecutor’s office explained that Potts, a Civil/Criminal Division judge, will serve as a family court judge in the matter.

If convicted by a 12-person jury, Potts can determine whether the accused is sentenced as an adult, juvenile or some form of blended sentence. The jury will determine the degree of the murder charge. The defendant is currently charged with open murder as well as assault with a deadly or dangerous weapon.

If sentenced as a juvenile, he can be held in a facility only until he is 21. But if sentenced as an adult, he faces life in prison.

Defense attorney Rowland Short said that another pretrial exam would be held at 11 a.m. Aug. 31. He explained that the defense is awaiting the final autopsy results and a drug test to determine the amount of cannabis in Rickman’s system at the time of his death.

Oakland County Deputy Medical Examiner Bernardino Pacris testified July 6 that Rickman was found with an unknown quantity of cannabis in his system.

Short added that his team would seek to have charges of felonious assault lifted. The defendant is charged with assault in the same incident against a 17-year-old who testified July 6.