The man accused of killing Bhagavan Allen at point blank range during a shooting in Ypsilanti in October will stand trial in April, record show.
Leonard Ware
Courtesy of WCSO
Leonard Ware, 34, is accused of shooting Allen following an argument at Marsh Plating Co., where the two worked. Ware is charged with open murder, being a felon in possession of a firearm, carrying a concealed weapon and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
According to court records, Ware’s trial is set to being at 8:30 a.m. April 15 in front of Washtenaw County Trial Court Judge Darlene O’Brien. He’ll return to court for a final pretrial hearing at 1:30 p.m. March 25 in front of O’Brien.
Ware was in court for a pretrial hearing Monday.
According to testimony at a preliminary exam in November, Ware shot Allen on Oct. 3 in the middle of Grove Street in Ypsilanti. Witnesses testified Ware fired two shots at Allen after he turned to face Ware with his hands in the air, screaming “No no no!”
Allen was shot twice before falling to the ground. A witness said Ware stood over the fallen man and fired at least three more shots into Allen, killing him.
The two men had been arguing earlier in the day because Ware didn’t believe Allen was working hard enough, police said. Allen threatened to fight Ware and the two men exchanged verbal threats, according to testimony.
Jeff Taylor, Ware’s attorney, alleged at the exam Allen slapped Ware in the face.
Ware is being held in the Washtenaw County Jail without bond. If convicted on the open murder charge, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.