Former Flint police officer Corey Joseph Graves, 39, is now on the other side of the law, charged in connection with a Jan. 20 shooting that prosecutors say left a motorist wounded. Graves faces counts of assault with intent to murder, felony firearm, and misconduct in office, according to prosecutors.
According to FOX San Antonio, which published a statement from the Genesee County Prosecutor's Office and details from a Michigan State Police investigation, the incident unfolded around 9 p.m. on Jan. 20. Investigators say Graves and a partner drove to the northeastern corner of Flint after a text identified the whereabouts of a man Graves had been looking for. Authorities allege Graves found the man asleep in a vehicle, ordered him to open the door, then fired two rounds from his service pistol through the driver's-side front window from about eight feet away. Bullet fragments struck the man's shoulder, investigators say, but he drove off. He was located in Florida six days later and extradited on unrelated charges.
Prosecutors Allege A Personal Dispute
Investigators say this was not a random encounter. According to the Michigan State Police report, Graves had an ongoing personal dispute with the man and had arrested him more than six times before. The report also alleges that Graves and his partner did not notify dispatch that they were searching for the individual until after the shooting was over.
Charges And What They Mean
Graves is charged with one count of assault with intent to commit murder, a felony that under Michigan law can be punished by life in prison or any term of years. Prosecutors point to the statutory language set out in the Michigan Compiled Laws. On top of that, Michigan treats felony-firearm as a separate crime that carries a mandatory consecutive prison term, which must be served in addition to any sentence for the underlying felony, according to guidance from the state courts.
What Happens Next
Prosecutors say Graves is scheduled to be arraigned in 67th District Court. At that hearing, the judge is expected to set bond and start the pretrial calendar. The charges and investigative findings were outlined by the Genesee County Prosecutor's Office, as reported by FOX San Antonio, and the Michigan State Police conducted the investigation.
Readers can review the assault-with-intent statute in the Michigan Compiled Laws and the courts' guidance on mandatory consecutive sentences for felony-firearm for more detail on the potential penalties. The relevant provisions appear in chapter 750 of the criminal code, available from the Michigan Legislature, and in sentencing materials published by the Michigan Courts.
