Appeals court to hear case of man convicted of shooting at lost teen
The conviction and sentencing of a Rochester Hills man serving 4 to 10 years in prison for firing a gun at a teenager who’d stopped at his house for directions has made it to the Michigan Court of Appeals docket.
On June 5, the court will hear oral arguments in the case against Jeffrey Zeigler, 55, who was convicted in October 2018 of assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder and possessing a firearm in the commission of a felony. An Oakland County jury reached its verdict after deliberating less than three hours.
The victim in the case, Brennan Walker, was 14 at the time. He was not hit by the bullet.
Zeigler, a retired Detroit firefighter, testified at the trial that he and his wife mistakenly believed Brennan, at 6 feet 2 inches tall, was an adult intruder when he came to their house on the morning of April 12, 2018. Brennan, who also testified, said that he had missed his bus and got lost while walking to school, and went up to their door to ask for directions.
Zeigler claimed he went outside with his gun to fire
... Brennan’s mother, Lisa Wright, told the court she believed the incident was racially motivated. Zeigler is white and Brennan is black.
a warning shot and then slipped on wet pavement causing the gun to discharge before he had intended. A home surveillance video presented during the trial showed what appears to be Zeigler aiming a shotgun in the direction of Brennan as he ran from the home’s porch, and firing.
At Zeigler’s sentencing hearing in November 2018, Brennan’s mother, Lisa Wright, told the court she believed the incident was racially motivated. Zeigler is white and Brennan is black.
Zeigler had a conviction in 2004 for firing a gun during a road rage incident.
Zeigler is serving his sentence at the Central Michigan Correctional Facility. His earliest release date is currently Oct. 8, 2022.
Scheduled to argue the case next month will be Danielle Walton, Oakland County assistant prosecutor, and Phillip Comorski, defense attorney.