Judge Rejects Plea From Detroit 'Freezer Mom,' Says She Has New Information To Review
DETROIT (WWJ/AP) - A Detroit woman who insists she wants to plead guilty to killing two of her children and placing the bodies in a freezer made her first appearance in trial court -- but it didn't end up as she hoped.
Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Dana Hathaway on Friday told Mitchelle Blair she was not ready to accept her plea. Hathaway said she received new information regarding Blair's independent psychiatric review and needed time to look it over.
"It will not take me a lot of time, but it will take me more time than I have to devote to this this morning," said Hathaway. "I have a jury box right now filled with reporters and a jury coming in momentarily that need those seats. So I would like to ask in order for me to preserve Miss Blair's rights in this case that we return Monday."
Defense attorney Wyatt Harris agreed with the judge, but he was interrupted by Blair.
"Excuse me, I have a very big problem with this," Blair said. "It is not right."
"Hold on Miss Blair," Hathaway responded. "We're going to do it Monday morning when I have the entire day to devote to this particular case.
"I know my rights, I am pleading to life in prison. Do you get what I'm saying?" Blair asked.
Hathaway was clearly getting frustrated.
"Mr. Harris can advocate for you but I am the only one that can legitimately protect your interests," she said sternly. "It stops here and that's what I want. I want to make sure that your rights are protected."
"This is ridiculous, ma'am," Blair muttered as she walked away from the stand.
The last time Blair was in court, she told the judge she is willing to spend the rest of her life in prison for murdering her 9-year-old son and 13-year-old daughter and stuffing them in the freezer.
"I did what I did for my baby," said Blair. "I'm already saying I did it. I'm freely giving myself and accepting life in prison."
Blair had been ruled competent to stand trial but the judge wanted results from an independent psychological evaluation.
Blair has been in custody since March 24, when court deputies carrying out an eviction at her apartment found the bodies of Stoni Blair and Stephen Berry in the home's deep freezer. Police believe the children died months apart in 2012 and 2013.
The 36-year-old Blair has openly declared her guilt and even said she would accept the death penalty if Michigan had it.
She has made incriminating statements at other court hearings and has been removed from hearings after outburst. In one such incident, the court showed a videotape of Blair's surviving son talking with a social worker. When the 8-year-old boy said he saw his brother being killed, Blair yelled that he "didn't see me kill Stephen, 'cause it was unintentional."
On another occasion Blair yelled: "Everybody wants to know. Yes, I did kill her," referencing Stoni.
The Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office determined that Stephen died of multiple blunt trauma and thermal injuries, while Stoni died of blunt trauma to the head.
Blair's surviving son also said in the interview with the social worker that he was whipped with a cord and that his 17-year-old sister was hit with a hammer. Both surviving siblings have been placed in a relative's care.
Separately, the state is seeking to terminate Blair's rights to two other children.
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