Rashad Trice makes district court appearance in Lansing
LANSING, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - Rashad Trice appeared virtually in district court in Lansing on Thursday.
The 26-year-old is accused of the kidnap and murder of 2-year-old Wynter Cole Smith.
With Trice's crimes spanning multiple areas, one former federal prosecutor tells CBS News Detroit it can make it difficult to know for sure which jurisdictions will take the lead.
Earlier this week, Trice appeared in federal court in Grand Rapids, showing visible injuries from his crimes and arrest. On Thursday he appeared via video conference with fewer bandages.
"It is a case that emotes a visceral response. When you hear the facts of the case and you see the pictures that were disseminated through the media and even in the complaint, it's gut-wrenching," said Richard Convertino, a former federal prosecutor.
The issue of multiple jurisdictions makes things complicated when it comes to legal processes. For instance, Trice allegedly drove a stolen car through multiple counties, committed domestic violence in Ingham County, and murder in Wayne County.
"Multiple jurisdictions create a lot of problems for both the prosecution and the defense," Convertino said. "You have to defend a case in multiple jurisdictions, and that's very difficult to do because there's competing proofs. What the proofs will be in the Western District of Michigan, in the federal district court, [could be] different than what Ingham County will prove or have to prove. And what the Attorney General of the State of Michigan will have to prove, and even Macomb County."
The Michigan Attorney General's office announced Thursday they will be working to consolidate all the different charges from different jurisdictions. The move should help avoid any bickering over which county takes the lead.
"Typically, who gets jurisdiction is the one with the sharpest and the most violently thrown elbows, metaphorically speaking," Convertino said. "I mean, these prosecutors are political people as well. They want to show their constituents that they're working hard and doing the best, and getting the best results for protecting them from criminal activity."
Given the federal involvement of this case, there has also been a question over the possibility of a federal death penalty for Trice. It's a possibility that Convertino said is unlikely.
"It seems highly unlikely to me that a federal death penalty would be pursued," he said.
Convertino says this legal case could be a long one. It could be months or even a year before all is said and done in the fight for justice for Wynter Cole Smith.