Case against 88-year-old stopped with cocaine near Chelsea to go forward

A judge has refused to throw out evidence against an 88-year-old Indiana man who was stopped in southeastern Michigan with more than 200 pounds of cocaine.

Leo Sharp of Michigan City was pulled over near Chelsea in Washtenaw County in 2011, based on a tip to state police by federal drug agents. Sharp's attorney said the drug seizure was illegal because authorities had no probable cause to stop him. But Detroit federal Judge Nancy Edmunds recently ruled in favor of the government.

A trooper says Sharp was upset when the drugs were discovered and declared, "Just kill me and let me leave this planet." Sharp later said he was forced at gunpoint to transport the cocaine. But agents say he was not a reluctant drug mule. Trial is set for October.

When Sharp was stopped on Oct. 21, 2011, police said they found four black bags containing 25 brick-shaped objects each and a small gray and blue bag containing four brick-shaped objects.