By Melissa Burnor
Victim testimony along with submitted police and medical reports was enough for Judge James Sheridan to bind Bradley Bences over to Lenawee County Circuit Court not only on the original felonious assault charge but also one of assault with intent to commit murder for the alleged July 13 knife attack in downtown Blissfield.
The victim was the only person who took the stand at Bences preliminary examination Tuesday afternoon. John Burtle was on the stand for nearly an hour and told his account of the events of the evening that led up to the incident on South Lane Street. At one point Burtle said he believed he was going to die after his neck was slashed.
The 57-year old Tipton man could now face life in prison if convicted. His attorney said he planned to file a waiver of arraignment for Bences in Lenawee County Circuit Court where he is scheduled for arraignment Aug. 14. As of Tuesday he remained in the Lenawee County Jail on a $75,000 bond.
Copyright 2013, River Raisin Publications, Inc. A complete story will run in the next edition of The Advance, Wednesday, Aug. 14.