Man who beat his girlfriend in Harrison Twp. got a second chance

A Harrison Township man must complete extensive mental health treatment to make a significant recovery in the criminal case of his girlfriend, whom he is accused of beating and imprisoning.

Danzelle Williams, 24, recently received a suspended sentence in Macomb County Circuit Court for attacking his girlfriend in a vehicle at the trailer in Harrison Township on April 30, striking her head against the interior windows of his Cadillac Escalade during a violent verbal assault. conflict.

At her sentencing on Oct. 23, Judge Julie Gatti finalized her agreement to a plea deal in which the 10-year felony charge of assault with intent to cause great bodily harm would be reduced to a one-year misdemeanor assault charge, and the 1-year charge of assault with intent to cause great bodily harm would be reduced to a one-year misdemeanor assault charge. . At a review hearing in September 2025, the second misdemeanor assault case will continue if he complies with conditions of probation, including a 26-week batterer intervention course and an impulse control course.

As part of the deal, charges of unlawful imprisonment, tampering with evidence and possession of a firearm will be dismissed.

Macomb Assistant Prosecutor Maria Panchenko said the victim, Williams’ girlfriend, accepted the deal and asked Judge Gatti to lift the no-contact order between them.

“Who are we to stand in the way of love?” Gatti said this, but told Williams: “There’s a woman who’s been with you through it all. I hope it’s for the right reasons and that you haven’t worn her down to the point where she can’t make decisions on her own.”

Williams told Gatti that the couple planned to continue living together.

He warned Williams to comply with the conditions and not engage in any abusive, threatening or intimidating behavior or he could lose the deal and the original charges would be reinstated.

Gatti called the beating “horrible.” It was stated that the woman was treated at McLaren Macomb Hospital in Mount Clemens for injuries to her spinal cord, neck and upper chest.

“It’s up to you to prove yourself to your lover and to this court, the prosecutor, the (defense) attorney and the probation officer over the next 11 months,” Gatti told Williams. “I will trust you to do what you have to do.”

Williams, a Northern Michigan resident, told Gatti softly that he was “really looking forward” to completing the courses and “going back to my family.” They have children. It is not yet known whether the victim is the mother of his children.

“He really needs these lessons,” said his attorney, David Worden. “I think this will be good for him and the complaining witness.”

At Williams’ plea hearing on September 17, Gatti ordered that Williams’ 23-hour prison isolation and ban on using electronic communications be lifted. Five weeks later, he learned that the sentence had not been lifted.

Williams was released following his sentence after spending approximately six months in prison.

First Publication Date: November 1, 2024 09:26 EDT

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