By DEBRA HAIGHT
BCR Correspondent
Recent court news in Berrien and Cass County courts include the delay of a trial of a Niles many accused of shooting his estranged wife as well as sentencings.
The trial of a Niles area man accused of shooting his estranged wife in late January has been postponed. James Lampson’s trial on attempted murder and nine other charges had been set to start July 17 in Cass County Circuit Court.
Lampson’s attorney, Lanny Fisher of Buchanan, reported last week that the trial
has been delayed after Cass Circuit Judge Mark Herman ordered Lampson to undergo a forensic examination. The trial is now set to begin Oct. 2 but that date is dependent on the forensic exam being completed by then.
Fisher said Lampson will be examined to see if he’s competent to stand trial and then can be held criminally responsible for his actions. Depending on the results of the examination, he could argue that Lampson is guilty but mentally ill.
Lampson is alleged to have shot his estranged wife at his home in Howard Township near Niles. He eventually agreed to drive her to the hospital but refused to go to Lakeland Hospital in Niles which was closer. His wife had sought treatment at Lakeland in 2016 for a broken wrist suffered during a domestic violence incident for which he was sentenced.
Lampson instead started driving toward South Bend Memorial Hospital, calling 9-1-1 when they had crossed the state line. It’s unclear whether police told him to stop at the Steak & Shake restaurant on State Road 933 but he did and police and an ambulance quickly arrived on the scene.
Lampson faces one count of attempted murder, punishable by life or any term of years in prison, one count of unlawful imprisonment, a 15 year felony, one count of assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder or by strangulation, a 10 year felony, and one count of assault with a dangerous weapon, a four year felony.
He also is charged with four counts of felony firearm, punishable by two consecutive years in prison, one count of obstruction of justice, a 10 year felony and one count of second offense domestic violence, a one year misdemeanor. His previous domestic violence conviction was on Oct. 27, 2016.
Jennifer Lampson testified during a February preliminary hearing that she feared for her life Jan. 23 when she went to her husband’s home to pick up belongings and he shot her.
Lampson said she ended up with a collapsed lung after the gun entered her right upper chest and then exited through her back. She carried a small medical pack with her as she testified in February which she said kept her wound clean.
A Buchanan man is going to prison after violating his probation from a 2017 carrying a concealed weapon case.
Chad Albert Carlyle, 23, of Chamberlain Road in Buchanan, pleaded guilty to violating his probation by cutting off his electronic tether monitoring device as well as failing to report to his officer, making payments and submitting to drug testing.
Carlyle was sentenced this week in Berrien County Trial Court to a prison term of 14 to 60 months. He has credit for 69 days served and had his probation revoked. He may be able to serve the prison term in boot camp which would allow him to be released to parole after 90 days.
He was sentenced to credit for time served, 60 days, for his most recent felony involving tampering with his electronic monitoring device. That incident occurred April 4 at his home on Chamberlain Road near Buchanan.
“Regrettably you have quite a record,” Berrien County Trial Judge Charles LaSata said. “You had three juvenile convictions and have had five as an adult.”
In another case, a South Bend man who led police on a chase that crossed the state line will be going to prison, but it won’t be in Michigan.
Eric Floyd Roberson, 54, of South Bend, pleaded guilty to fleeing police and was
sentenced to 90 days in jail with credit for 61 days served.
The incident occurred Feb. 5 when a Berrien County Sheriff’s Deputy observed him trying to steal a snow blower from Rural King on South 11th Street in Niles Township. He fled south and was eventually stopped by St. Joseph Ind. Police in Indiana.
LaSata noted that this was Roberson’s 18th conviction. Defense attorney Paul Jancha, Jr. said Roberson has already been convicted in Indiana and faces prison terms there on similar fleeing and eluding charges.
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