Police: Mich. woman shoots grandson 8 times

(CBS/AP) FARMINGTON, Mich. - Jonathan Hoffman frantically told a 911 dispatcher he had been shot in the chest by his grandmother and was going to die, a police detective testified Monday.

By the time officers arrived at the family's upscale condo in a Detroit suburb, at least four more shots from a .40-caliber handgun had been pumped into the 17-year-old high school senior.

Hoffman's grandmother, 74-year-old Sandra Layne, has been charged with open murder in the shooting death of her grandson and held without bond. She stood mute in court during Monday's arraignment when the charge was read, and a not guilty plea was entered on her behalf.

An open murder charge allows a jury to decide on whether a first- or second-degree charge applies after hearing evidence.

She did not look at the judge or attorneys but instead waved and blew kisses to her husband, CBS Station WWJ reports.

A West Bloomfield Township detective told a judge during Monday's arraignment that eight entry and exit wounds were found in Hoffman's body after the Friday afternoon shooting.

Hoffman had been attending an alternative high school in nearby Farmington and living with his maternal grandparents so he could complete his senior year while his divorced parents settled in Arizona, according to his father, Michael Hoffman of Scottsdale, Ariz.

Layne's attorneys have said there were problems at the condo, and Layne was afraid of her grandson. One of her attorneys, Mitchell Ribitwer, told reporters Monday that drugs and drug paraphernalia apparently belonging to the teen were found at the condo after Hoffman was killed.

Michael Hoffman said that regardless of his son's behavior, the teen was unarmed and didn't deserve to be shot to death.

Detective Brad Boulet testified about Hoffman's 911 call and said when officers arrived at the condo, Layne was inside, behind a screened door.

"She put the gun on the floor after being ordered so by officers," Boulet said. "She exclaimed she had just murdered her grandson."

Ribitwer described her to the judge as a retired teacher who has lived in the West Bloomfield area for 30 years. His requests for a reasonable bond and electronic tether monitor for Layne were denied. A pre-examination conference for Layne was set for Thursday morning.

Prosecutors had no comment after the hearing. Layne's husband and other relatives attended the hearing but also didn't comment.

Police had responded in March to a domestic disturbance at Layne's home.

"I spoke to the officer who responded, and he indicated this young man was totally out of control in the street," defense attorney Ribitwer told reporters Monday. "He was derogatory to his grandmother. He was yelling and shouting and almost got into it with the police."

Police said Layne had recently purchased her .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun for protection, reports WWJ correspondent Marie Osborne.

Jonathan Hoffman's funeral is set for 11 a.m. Tuesday.

Meantime, friends and classmates at Farmington Central High are trying to come to terms with what happened.

"Very, very smart ... good grades, talented kid; very quiet, though, out of class," Anwar Davis told WWJ's Osborne.

Davis said he also knew Hoffman's grandmother, whom he said was a nice lady, and cannot think of any reason that would justify the shooting at their home. "I don't know. I can't come to a conclusion like, why she'd just ... why she'd take it that far," he said.

Another classmate, Chelsea Schade, said she hasn't stopped crying since learning of Hoffman's fate.

"He's not aggressive. He's the most gentle, nice person ever. He was always there and he was always so giving. He would never do anything to justify being shot like that," Schade said.