NILES TEEN ACCUSED OF MURDER GOES FREE AFTER PROBLEM WITH WITNESSES

By DEBRA HAIGHT
BCR Correspondent
NILES – Last week’s court news included prison and jail sentences as well as the dismissal of murder charges against a Niles teen.
Farries Deshawn Maxwell, Jr., 18, of Niles, had been scheduled to go on trial last week in Berrien County Trial Court at the Niles courthouse. He had been charged with first-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. He is now free after spending much of the last year incarcerated.
Maxwell was accused of murder in the second of the three sets of murders occurring in Niles in August-September of 2022. Maxwell is accused of killing Raquon Glenn, the man who police believe killed Maxwell’s father in the first of murders.
Glenn was shot and killed Sept. 8, 2022 in the 300 block of North Sixth Street near downtown Niles. Glenn was inside his vehicle when he was hit by multiple shots. Glenn was transported to the hospital and died a short time later. An autopsy found that he had three gunshot wounds.
According to the police report, no witnesses initially came forward in the investigation. Police were contacted in late September, 2022 by Maxwell’s girlfriend that she had dropped him off that day in the area where Glenn was shot and later picked him up in Niles. She said Maxwell had told her that he believed Glenn was responsible for Maxwell’s father’s death.
Farries Maxwell, Sr., was shot and killed Aug. 16, 2022 in the same area of Niles. She said the younger Maxwell told her “I shot the dude” when she picked him up in Niles.
Berrien County Prosecutor Amy Byrd said last week that the charges were dismissed after Assistant Prosecutor Jerry Vigansky had concerns about a couple of the witnesses scheduled to testify against Maxwell. The charges were dismissed without prejudice so they can be refiled in the future if more information and witnesses are found.
She noted cases are often dependent on the testimony of witnesses and their willingness to come forward.
“While our dedicated law enforcement officers are committed to the investigation of these matters, such investigations rely on the cooperation of witnesses and members of the public coming forward with any information that could assist in bringing the investigation to a swift and just conclusion,” she said.
The last of the homicides occurring during that time period, on Sept. 20, 2022, resulted in the deaths of two girls, Yasmeen Scott and Demi Galvin, and injuries to three young men.  A man convicted for the 2022 murders of two women just across the state line in Indiana has been considered to be a person of interest in the deaths of the two girls in Niles.
Angela Jeanine Johnson, of Niles, pleaded guilty to receiving, concealing or possession of stolen property $1,000 to $20,000 and was sentenced last week to 29 months to five years in prison with credit for 95 days served. She must pay $198 in fines and costs with restitution to be determined.
She also pled guilty to larceny in a building, attempted breaking and entering a building with intent to commit larceny and two counts of resisting and obstructing police and was sentenced to concurrent prison terms. She was given credit for time served and $125 in fines and costs for a misdemeanor charge of retail fraud.
She was sentenced to 14 months to four years for larceny in a building, 16 months to five years for attempted breaking and entering and two terms of 14 months to two years for the two resisting police counts. She must pay a total of $4,042 in fines, costs and restitution on those counts.
The incidents occurred between August and October in Niles.
Defense attorney Daniel French said Johnson was eligible for drug court and that her primary problem is her drug addiction. “She’s struggled with it since she was a teen and it’s only gotten worse,” he said. “She’s tired of that lifestyle; she knows she’s made bad life choices and has lied to herself and others.”
“She’s scared; she’s never taken the opportunities for services she’s been given,” he added. “This has been a wake up call; she’s hit rock bottom. I ask that you consider drug court and probation. She knows this is her last chance.”
Berrien County Trial Court Judge Gordon Hosbein noted that Johnson’s past record includes 31 misdemeanors and seven felonies. He said he was sentencing her to prison for protection of the community and for her rehabilitation.
“I don’t like sending people to prison,” the judge said. “I hope you understand that this is not the lifestyle for you. It’s time to maintain your sobriety. I wish you well.”
In other sentencings, Terry Lynn Anderson, Jr., 35, of Buchanan, was found guilty of third offense domestic violence and was sentenced to 18 months probation, 150 days in jail with credit for two days served and $1,758 in fines and costs. The incident occurred last April in Buchanan.
Koch noted that Anderson had been sentenced to probation before and shown minimal improvement. She said that Anderson continues to handle issues by becoming angry.
Anderson apologized for his actions. “I’m very sorry, I was wrong,” he said. “I could have handled things differently. It was a very unfortunate situation.”
Judge Hosbein reviewed Anderson’s past record of 12 misdemeanors and one felony including domestic violence convictions in 2007, 2018 and 2022. “This cycle is perpetuating,” he said. “You have not been rehabilitated even though you’ve been given services and tools. Nothing has worked.”
“I’m more concerned about what this means for your children,” he added. “They think this behavior is okay, that this is how men should behave. It’s not what you tell your children but what you do. What do you do to change the cycle so they don’t become abusers.”
“You’ve done no time in jail in the past,” he said. “Jail time doesn’t necessarily solve the problem but if we keep doing the same thing, it’s not doing you or the community any service.”