Patrick Andrew LaFleur, the man accused of biting off an Oakland Township woman’s ear, will stand trial in Oakland County Circuit Court on felony charges.
Reasonable evidence was presented by prosecutor Barb Morrison during a preliminary examination to bind the 31-year-old Oxford man, who was on the run for almost two years, over on charges of kidnapping, mayhem, felonious assault, aggravated stalking and assault with the intent to murder. He is also being tried in a separate court for violating parole.
The charge of assault with the intent to murder is an amendment to the original warrant for assault with intent to do great bodily harm. District Court Judge Julie Nicholson agreed that adequate evidence was available to increase the charge. Assault with the intent to murder carries a maximum sentencing of life in prison.
During the preliminary exam, the prosecution presented two key witnesses: the victim and her next door neighbor.
The next door neighbor took the stand first and described to the court that she at first did not recognize the woman who came to her door pleading for help at 4:00 a.m.
‘The person looked very horrible,? she testified. ‘Her face was very swollen, her face was very red. She had blood all over the place.?
The neighbor continued to testify the she called 911 for help. While waiting for emergency personnel, the neighbor stated that the victim moved oddly on the floor.
‘She was scurrying like an animal trying to hide,? she stated.
On cross examination, the neighbor did state that she had seen LaFleur at the victim’s residence several times, and that she was not aware of any problems between the two. She also stated that she did not see anyone leaving the victim’s home the night of the attack and that no one attempted to get into her home.
The prosecution placed the victim on the stand next. In a quiet voice, the victim proceeded to tell the court how she first met LaFleur in January of 2001.
‘I had met him during my divorce and he offered to help me move some furniture since I was leaving my husband,? said the victim, who continued to testify they started seeing each other that month.
She continued to describe the relationship, explaining how LaFleur became agitated over $500 he had loaned her for purchasing a vehicle. As part of the repayment, the victim stated she purchased LaFleur some clothing; however, he wanted to money back. When the couple began to argue over the topic, the victim claims LaFleur charged at her, knocking her down.
‘I have never been hit so hard like that by a man,? she testified.
In further testimony, the victim described how LaFleur had broken into her home several times, and one time even broken in while she was in the shower. He would also call her at work repeatedly and show up at her home at all hours of the day or night.
‘I was very afraid of him,? she said through tears.
The victim contacted the police several times, but never pressed charges. She even contacted LaFleur’s parole officer to get advice on whom she was seeing. However, the parole officer could not release any information and the victim was instructed to call the police.
‘I guess I wasn’t raised right,? said the victim. ‘I just felt sorry for him.?
At one point, the victim stated that she had been preparing to leave on a trip to Cedar Point with her son when LaFleur showed up at their home.
‘He said that we wouldn’t be going if he didn’t go with us,? she testified. ‘I didn’t want him there.?
Over the course of six months, the victim told LaFleur repeatedly that she did not want to see him anymore.
On the day of the attack, May 31 to June 1, 2001, the victim testified the LaFleur showed up at her home between 9:00 and 11:00 a.m. After arguing for over an hour and asking him to leave, the victim went to go into her home, but LaFleur followed.
‘I ended up going into the house and he came in behind me, pushing me into a door in my living room,? she stated.
LaFleur remained in her home until she left to have dinner with her son and his father. When she returned later that night between 9:00 and 9:30 p.m., LaFleur was still in her house. She was again arguing with LaFleur and asking him to leave when her parents called.
‘The last thing I said to them was ‘I think I’ve gotten myself into something I can’t get out of,?? she said.
The brutal attack began shortly after that phone call. The victim described how for approximately the next six hours LaFleur beat and kicked her in the head, dragged her around by her hair, attempted to drown her, tried to get her to commit suicide, tried to gouge out her eyes, bit off her ear and spit it at her, choked her, and told her repeatedly he was going to kill her.
Near the end of the attack, the victim testified that LaFleur dressed her in a ski coat with the hood up, held the knife to her throat, and walked her to her car. Once on the road, he told her he was going to kill her in the woods. While driving, the car ran out of gas. The victim recalls telling LaFleur she had $400 in her purse at home.
‘I just wanted to get back home,? she said. ‘I just wanted to get away.?
Once at her home, the victim managed to crawl out of her car and to run to her neighbor’s front porch.
After the two witnesses, the prosecution closed by presenting evidence showing LaFleur’s two prior convictions of stalking and his parole violation, as well as six photos of the victim after the attack.
LaFleur is being represented by court appointed attorney Jeffrey Quas. During cross examination, Quas focused upon the fact that the victim left her son in Cedar Point with LaFleur; she did not press any charges during the relationship; on at least one occasion she allowed LaFleur to help her get ready for work after he supposedly broke into her home; and that she released personal information, such as the trip to Cedar Point, even though she claims not to have wanted him around any longer. Quas also questioned her on why she returned to her home the evening of the supposed attack even though she claims to have been afraid of LaFleur.
‘I don’t know,? said the victim at one point. ‘I guess I didn’t realize what a stalker was, I didn’t know what I’d gotten into.?
The defense did not present any witnesses at this time and did not provide any evidence. Closing statements briefly reviewed the information presented over the course of the examination.
LaFleur is currently being held on $1 million bail; however, even if he did pay the money, he would not be released until his parole violation hearing is completed.
His arraignment in Circuit Court is scheduled for Monday, June 3, at 8:30 a.m. in front of Judge Steven Andrews.