Three people were killed in actions attributed by authorities to a robbery crew that plagued south DeKalb County.
Now, the alleged leader of that crew, Michael Blaine, is on trial in DeKalb County Superior Court for two of those murders, as well as for racketeering, three counts of kidnapping and a host of burglaries and armed robberies.
The case against Blaine has taken several turns since his 2006 arrest.
Blaine, 31, is accused of shooting and killing Yucef Ellis and Eric Banks in separate robberies between 2005 and 2006, part of what prosecutors say was an 11-month scheme to rob wealthy south DeKalb residents or strong-arm suspected drug dealers of their drugs and money.
But on Sept. 16, 2007, the day before Blaine's trial was to begin, a witness, 7-year-old Timothy Johnson Jr., was killed during a violent home invasion.
As the result of an unrelated issue, the Georgia Bar Association in 2007 dismissed all the attorneys associated with the case, resulting in a delay in bringing the case to trial.
Blaine's trial was delayed again last July, when Superior Court Judge Mark Anthony Scott declared a mistrial, holding Blaine’s attorney Herbert Adams Jr. in contempt for not being prepared. Adams continues to represent Blaine.
Meanwhile, nine members of Blaine’s robbing crew each pleaded guilty to participating in some facet of his scheme. Two of those accomplices, Tori Moore and Walter Landers, will testify against Blaine at his present jury trial before DeKalb County Superior Judge Clarence F. Seeliger.
Opening statements took place Thursday.
Prosecutors said that to prove the racketeering count, they intend to show that the activities of Blaine’s crew set a pattern.
“The object of the conspiracy was to obtain U.S. currency and drugs through acts which constituted armed robbery, aggravated assault, burglary and violation of the Georgia Controlled Substance Act,” the indictment against Blaine said.
Prosecutors say Blaine recruited varied groups, from unrelated adults to even high-school dropouts calling themselves the “Fire Starters,” to help him commit robberies, and would split the proceeds with them.
“I know that he gets the majority of [the money],” Moore testified from the witness stand Monday.
Others, like Moore, were recruited to scout out potential targets, act as decoys – posing as drug buyers or prostitutes to gain entry – or drive drop-off and get-away cars.
Prosecutors said Blaine’s crew would beat and threaten to kill victims if they didn’t give up the location of their goods.
On Nov. 17, 2005, Moore took Blaine and Quazzard James to the Pinewood Apartments in Lithonia to rob a drug house there. Both men had handguns when they encountered an armed Eric Banks, according to prosecutors.
Police say the men demanded Banks’ gun.
“I saw the defendant Michael Blaine and Quazzard holding guns,” Landers said from the witness stand. “They shot him.”
On Dec. 14, 2005, prosecutors say Landers kidnapped and pistol whipped Dahanajay Gupta and his wife Bandana Gupta, threatening to kill them if the couple didn’t get them money from the Citgo convenience store on Evans Mill Road where Dahanajay worked. The alleged assailants finally left the couple at an abandoned home.
Blaine took a different group of three armed and masked men with him on a July 20, 2006 home invasion, when they attacked Timothy and LaMonica Johnson in their Lithonia home, binding them with duct tape and threatening to kill them, prosecutors say.
As the four bandits split up – either searching through the home for drugs and money or allegedly beating Timothy Johnson with a set of brass knuckles -- police were notified, and the robbing crew fled, authorities said.
The victim’s 7-year-old son, Timothy Jr., was subsequently killed by Willie Kelsey, 34, who was linked to that robbing crew and was looking to eliminate any witnesses, prosecutors say. Kelsey awaits trial and faces the death sentence if convicted.
On Sept. 23, 2006, Blaine went to the Lithonia apartment home of believed drug dealer Yusef Ellis. Prosecutors say Blaine posed as a buyer to get into Ellis’ apartment, but eventually drew suspicion.
Ellis pulled a handgun, but Blaine was faster on the draw and fatally shot Ellis, prosecutors said. Ellis was able to return fire before he died, hitting Blaine. An injured Blaine went to the hospital and was treated for his injuries and later arrested, authorities said.
If found guilty, Blaine could be sentenced to life in prison without parole. Testimony in the trial continues Tuesday.
About the Author
