A Roseville resident, Abel Rivard, age 56, is slated to face trial in a case that has gripped the community due to its violent turn taken in a cannabis dispensary parking lot. Rivard stands accused of shooting Martin Robinson in late May after an argument in Roseville's King of Budz dispensary escalated from verbal to physical. As reported by CBS News Detroit, Judge Joseph F. Boedecker presided over the preliminary exam on Wednesday, determining there was enough evidence to move forward to trial in the Macomb County Circuit Court.
With the bond set at a staggering $1 million, Rivard remains behind bars. Seeking relief, Rivard filed a motion to modify his bond, only to be denied. The charges looming over him are of a grave nature, with a potential life sentence tied to the assault with intent to murder charge, as noted by ClickOnDetroit. This is atop two counts of felony firearm and one for assault with a dangerous weapon, all of which could collectively ensure Rivard spends a significant portion of the remainder of his life under state supervision.
The narrative of the incident pieced together by authorities alleges that after igniting a dispute with Robinson, Rivard followed him out of the store and, with a gun drawn from his waistband, shot Robinson as he was walking back to his car. Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido, who stated, "Allegations that someone was shot while retreating from an argument are deeply disturbing," emphasized the county's zero-tolerance stance on such violence, as told to The Detroit News.
Despite clear condemnations from the prosecutor's office and a community shaken by the brazenness of the act, the motives behind the initial altercation remain unclear, with Lucido not providing details on what sparked the argument. Attempts to reach Rivard's attorney, Nijad Georges Mehanna, were in vain, met repeatedly by a busy signal. Rivard is scheduled to appear next in court on July 22.
