Crime & Safety
Grosse Pointe Woods Molestation Case Continued
The preliminary exam for the Grosse Pointe Woods man accused of molesting a girl from 2007 to 2011 will be postponed until Nov 7
Attorneys for Roger Ferworn, the 55-year-old Grosse Pointe Woods man who is facing three felony charges of criminal sexual conduct, appeared in Grosse Pointe Woods Municipal Court on Wednesday and asked that Ferworn's scheduled preliminary exam be continued to Nov. 7.
Ferworn is accused of molesting a girl from 2007 to 2011. She has a mental handicap. Police have testified that the girl was 14 years old when the molestation began.
He is charged with three counts of second degree criminal sexual conduct in which he used a position of authority he had over the victim to coerce her to submit to the sexual conduct.
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Defense attorney Shannon Smith and co-counsel Sheryl Carpenter sought the continuance from Judge Ted Metry because they still had not viewed the prosecution's video-recorded interviews.
At his arraignment in September, Ferworn waived his right to have a preliminary exam within 14 days of being charged because Smith said she needed time to review the prosecution's evidence, specifically the recorded interviews.
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Ferworn was silent during the proceeding as his attorneys assured Judge Ted Metry that the defense would be prepared to proceed on Nov. 7. Smith entered a stipulation for release of the video recordings from the prosecutor's office.
Judge Metry continued Ferworn's $10,000 cash or 10 percent surety bond. Ferworn is also ordered to wear a GPS tether during his release due to the "gravity" of the charges and case.
