BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. — A 74-year-old woman was arraigned Monday on an open murder charge in the shooting death of her 17-year-old grandson in the suburban Detroit condo they shared.
Sandra Layne stood mute in court when the charge was read, and a not guilty plea was entered on her behalf. An open murder charge allows a jury to decide on whether a first- or second-degree charge applies after hearing evidence.
A Bloomfield District Court judge ordered Layne held without bond. The court is in Oakland County's Bloomfield Township.
Jonathan Hoffman was shot late Friday afternoon in his grandparents' home in West Bloomfield Township home, northwest of Detroit.
His father, Michael Hoffman of Scottsdale, Ariz., said earlier that his son was living with his maternal grandparents so he could complete his senior year in Farmington schools while his divorced parents settled in Arizona. The father said that regardless of his son's behavior, the teen was unarmed and didn't deserve to be shot to death.
Layne's lawyer, Mitchell Ribitwer, said his client was "very distraught, very upset, very withdrawn."
Ribitwer said after the hearing that drugs and drug paraphernalia apparently belonging to the teen were found at the house. Ribitwer said police also were called to the house because of a domestic issue a few weeks ago.
"I spoke to the officer who responded, and he indicated this young man was totally out of control in the street," the defense lawyer said. "He was derogatory to his grandmother. He was yelling and shouting and almost got into it with the police."
Earlier, another lawyer for Layne, Jerome Sabbota, said she "was afraid" and fired her new .40-caliber semiautomatic handgun because she felt she had no choice.
Prosecutors had no comment after the hearing. Layne's husband and other relatives attended the hearing but also didn't comment.
Jonathan Hoffman was not armed. His funeral is set for 11 a.m. Tuesday.