Saginaw Man Faces Trial for Fatal Bay City Shooting Amidst Conflicting Witness Accounts

A Saginaw man is set to face a jury in connection with a fatal shooting in Bay City, a decision that comes despite a preliminary examination fraught with dramatically conflicting witness testimonies. Anthony Demarkus Young, 29, of Saginaw, has been bound over to circuit court on charges of open murder, felony firearm, and carrying a concealed weapon, following the tragic death of 32-year-old Michael A.

Johnson of Bay City.

The incident unfolded on the evening of March 14, 2024, in the 900 block of Nebobish Avenue in Bay City. Bay City Public Safety Officer Alex J. Wilson, one of the first responders, testified to discovering Johnson deceased at the scene, having sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the chest.

Investigators recovered a .40-caliber casing, signaling the grim reality of the violence that had transpired.

The preliminary examination, designed to determine if there's enough evidence for a case to proceed to trial, quickly became a battle of narratives. The prosecution presented testimony from two key witnesses, whose accounts diverged significantly, creating a complex web of facts for the court to untangle.

One female witness painted a clear picture for the court.

She stated that on the night of the shooting, she saw Young emerge from a gray Chevrolet Impala, approach Johnson, and engage in a heated argument. According to her testimony, the confrontation escalated rapidly, culminating in Young firing a weapon at Johnson. She explicitly identified Young as the shooter, confirming her identification from a police photo lineup.

She also claimed she witnessed Young in possession of a firearm during the fatal encounter.

However, her account was starkly contradicted by a male witness who testified he was with Johnson when the shooting occurred. This witness asserted that a different individual, described as wearing a blue hoodie, was the actual shooter.

Crucially, he maintained that Young was not the person who fired the weapon, though he did acknowledge Young's presence in the same car. Furthermore, he challenged the female witness’s presence at the scene, casting doubt on her entire testimony.

The defense, represented by attorney Ed Czuprynski, seized on these glaring inconsistencies.

Czuprynski argued vehemently for the dismissal of the charges, contending that the conflicting testimonies introduced an insurmountable level of reasonable doubt. He argued that with such stark discrepancies, the prosecution had failed to establish sufficient probable cause to link Young directly to the murder.

Conversely, Assistant Bay County Prosecutor Jeffrey J.

Stroud countered that despite the conflicting statements, there was still ample evidence to warrant a trial. Stroud emphasized the female witness's direct identification of Young as the shooter and the general consensus that Young was present at the scene, suggesting these elements alone provided sufficient grounds for the case to advance.

Ultimately, District Judge Elizabeth P.

Beeson sided with the prosecution on the matter of proceeding to trial. In her ruling, Judge Beeson acknowledged the "credibility issue" posed by the conflicting testimonies. However, she firmly stated that resolving such credibility disputes falls within the purview of a jury, not a preliminary examination judge.

Judge Beeson concluded there was indeed probable cause to believe that a crime had been committed and that Young was the individual who committed it, clearing the path for the case to move forward.

Anthony Demarkus Young remains held without bond and is now scheduled to appear in circuit court for his arraignment.

The upcoming trial promises to be a complex legal battle, where a jury will ultimately weigh the contradictory accounts to determine the truth behind the tragic death of Michael A. Johnson.