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Detroit, MI

Mother of Detroit man accused of beating father to death says he’s autistic

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Mother of Detroit man accused of beating father to death says he’s autistic


A judge continued the $500,000 bond for a 23-year-old man accused of beating his father to death last weekend at their east Detroit home, court records said.

Le Mar Manassa Jr. was charged Tuesday in 36th District Court with manslaughter, according to records and Detroit police.

A bond re-determination hearing was held Thursday.

The defendant is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday for a probable cause conference.

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If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison.

Court records said Manassa is represented by the Neighborhood Defender Service in Detroit. The judge appointed an attorney to represent the defendant during the bond re-determination hearing, according to the records.

On Friday, Percilla Poole, Manassa’s mother, told The Detroit News she doesn’t know who her son’s lawyer is at the moment. Poole said she is looking to get an attorney for him and has not been able to speak to her son since he was arrested.

She also said her son is autistic and the incident in which he is accused is shocking.

“It’s unbelievable,” Poole, 53, said in a telephone interview. “It’s hard to go through. I can’t sleep at night, and I can barely eat. This whole thing is very hard on my family and me. I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

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On Tuesday, Detroit police said officers were dispatched at about 7:24 p.m. Saturday to a home in the 5700 block of University Place near Chandler Park Drive and Cadiuex Road.

They entered the home and found Le Mar Manassa Sr., 53, wounded in the kitchen, authorities said.

Medics arrived and pronounced him dead.

According to a preliminary investigation, Manassa and his son had an argument that escalated to a fight. Detectives said the younger man punched his father multiple times in the head.

Poole said she wasn’t at home when the incident happened and nothing like this has ever unfolded with her son before.

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“He’s not a violent person,” she said. “He’s very quiet, and he keeps to himself. He’s never showed any signs that something like this could happen.”

She said her son loves football and doesn’t talk much.

“He’s 23 years old, but he has the mindset of a 9-year-old,” she said. “He still plays with action figures.”

Poole told police officers her son was autistic the night he was arrested. She said Friday that her son, who was born prematurely, had been in special education programs since pre-school.

“He’s been like this since he was born,” Poole said.

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cramirez@detroitnews.com

@CharlesERamirez



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Detroit, MI

Air conditioner forecast: Metro Detroit heads into hot, sticky stretch

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Air conditioner forecast: Metro Detroit heads into hot, sticky stretch


Metro Detroit is set to trade this weekend’s comfortable weather for a stretch of increasingly hot and humid conditions this week, with temperatures climbing into the upper 80s and lower 90s and humidity levels high enough to make it feel even warmer.

While Monday remains pleasant, the 4Warn Weather team is tracking a developing pattern that could bring rounds of showers and thunderstorms Tuesday through Thursday, followed by a period of heat that may pose health risks for some people.

The dry weather will hold through Monday before moisture surges northward ahead of a low-pressure system. That setup will lead to increasing clouds Monday night and a growing chance of showers and thunderstorms Tuesday.

The atmospheric moisture levels will be unusually high for June, meaning storms will be capable of producing locally heavy rainfall in a short amount of time Tuesday.

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Metro Detroit will have daily chances for showers and thunderstorms through the week, but attention will also turn to the heat.

Temperatures are expected to soar to around 90 degrees Wednesday and the lower 90s Thursday across Metro Detroit, with muggy nights only falling into the upper 60s to lower 70s. Combined with dew points rising into the upper 60s and lower 70s, heat index values could climb well into the 90s to 100 degrees.

Temperatures are expected to soar to around 90 degrees Wednesday and the lower 90s Thursday across Metro Detroit, with muggy nights only falling into the upper 60s to lower 70s. Combined with dew points rising into the upper 60s and lower 70s, heat index values could climb well into the 90s to 100 degrees. (WDIV)

These values can create dangerous conditions for vulnerable populations, including older adults, young children, people with chronic health conditions and anyone working or exercising outdoors for extended periods.

After weeks of relatively mild temperatures, the human body has not yet fully acclimated to summer heat, making heat-related illnesses more likely.

Temperatures are expected to soar to around 90 degrees Wednesday and the lower 90s Thursday across Metro Detroit, with muggy nights only falling into the upper 60s to lower 70s. Combined with dew points rising into the upper 60s and lower 70s, heat index values could climb well into the 90s to 100 degrees. (WDIV)

Heat Safety

People are encouraged to begin practicing heat safety habits now:

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  • Drink water regularly, even before feeling thirsty.

  • Limit strenuous outdoor activity during the hottest part of the afternoon.

  • Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing.

  • Take frequent breaks in air-conditioned spaces.

  • Never leave children or pets in vehicles.

  • Check on elderly neighbors and relatives.

The hottest day of the stretch is likely to be Thursday, when Metro Detroit could reach the lower 90s. Depending on sunshine and thunderstorm coverage, a few communities may push even higher.

For residents of the Thumb, temperatures will be somewhat cooler thanks to the moderating influence of Lake Huron. Highs there are expected to remain largely in the lower to middle 80s during the warmest part of the week.

Thunderstorm chances continue through Thursday and could briefly interrupt the heat. However, any breaks are expected to be short-lived, and many locations will spend much of the week feeling decidedly summerlike.

By Friday and next weekend, temperatures may ease slightly back into the upper 80s, although isolated showers and thunderstorms remain possible.

Share your weather photos and how you’re staying cool with Local 4 at MIPics.

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2 men dead in unrelated overnight Detroit shootings

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2 men dead in unrelated overnight Detroit shootings


DETROIT (WXYZ) — Two men are dead after being shot in the early morning hours of Sunday, in what police say were separate incidents.

Both shootings took place in between 3 a.m. and 3:30 a.m. We’re told that one shooting happened in the 19000 block of Kelly Road on Detroit’s east side, and the other happened in the 8700 block of Quincy Street on Detroit’s west side.

Authorities say that the circumstances that led up to each of these shootings are unknown. No suspects have been arrested in relation to these cases.





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Detroit, MI

Hundreds gather for rally against gun violence on Detroit’s east side

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Hundreds gather for rally against gun violence on Detroit’s east side


Community violence intervention groups, local organizations and law enforcement partners joined forces on Saturday to send a message that it’s time to put an end to gun violence in Detroit.

Hundreds attended the annual Silence the Violence rally on the city’s east side. One of the event’s participants, Latina Mack, is a member of the community violence intervention group Force Detroit.

“I combine myself with Force Detroit to be able to help these kids, to give them the resources, to provide opportunities for them, to do things that they have never done before,” Mack said.

In 2023, her 17-year-old son, Elijah, was killed in an accidental shooting.

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“My son’s death prompted me to want to do more. I just didn’t want anybody else to go through what I go through on a regular basis. Sometimes that’s the biggest thing, just showing up and letting people know I’m here.” Mack said.

Organizers say the rally and march are about honoring those lost to gun violence, bringing awareness to ongoing struggles and showing support to those who need it.

“It’s very, very important to the survivors, and it’s more than just the survivors as it relates to the families, but the whole community is surviving this stuff because they seen it,” Dujuan Zoe Kennedy, executive director, Force Detroit, said.

Kennedy added that when it comes to gun violence, if you can predict it, you can prevent it.

“We know the root causes of violence are poverty. We know the root causes of violence are psychological, emotional and mental wellness. So we have to provide those things, we have to be there, we have to be trauma-informed and we have to operate and provide economic mobility,” Kennedy said.

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One example of a community violence intervention success is Jordan Owens.

“I got a lot of good mentorship, and a lot of good guidance from them and I feel like I’m going down a better path,” Owens said.

The 16-year-old was arrested with a gun just a few years ago.

“I wasn’t necessarily beefing with people doing that, but people were in my neighborhood getting robbed, killed, hurt and I felt like I just needed protection at my age. I felt like I didn’t have nobody to protect me and I felt like I had to do it myself,” Owens said.

Now he realizes that’s not the case.

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“It’s more to life than just all of this stuff in the neighborhoods and all of that. We all have the opportunity to change our lives and do better, and you just have to want that change for yourself.”

Owens has become an entrepreneur, starting both landscaping and car detailing services.

“I’d love to be a good community member, speaking to the youth and stuff like that, and doing more stuff like this. And I just want to go to college, continue with my businesses,” Owens said.



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