Man accused of robbing and shooting transgender woman takes a plea deal

One of two men accused of robbing and shooting a transgender woman in the Palmer Park neighborhood of Detroit last year has taken a plea deal rather than risk serving life in prison.

Jujuan Williams pleaded guilty last Friday to armed robbery resulting in serious injury and the use of a firearm in commission of a felony before Wayne Circuit Court Judge Vonda Evans. In return, the 19-year-old accepted the plea agreement that calls for a sentence of 10-30 years plus an additional 2 years.

He will be sentenced on Feb. 26.

William's co-defendant, Charles Brown, 21, is scheduled for trial on March 17.

The incident happened on Nov. 17 when Sharita Maxwell, a transgender woman, was walking along Woodward between Six and Seven Mile at about 1:50 a.m. when she was accosted by two men in hoodies and masks.

As seen on a surveillance tape shown during the preliminary examination, the men — one of whom was holding a rifle and is believed to be Brown — jumped out of a GMC Yukon after the car rushed up to the curb where Maxwell was standing. After a brief exchange, where Maxwell said she was told "drop the (expletive)," Maxwell threw her purse to the ground and began to run. Within seconds — as one of the men, believed to be Williams, picked up the purse — the gunman fired the rifle. Maxwell was shot in the back and arm. She fell to the ground almost instantly.

"I was screaming and hollering because I was paralyzed," Maxwell told the judge during the preliminary exam.

According to a Detroit police officer who testified at the hearing, police were able to locate the suspected getaway vehicle after the assault, and a chase ensued. It ended just north of Eastern Market at Russell and Canfield.

Williams was arrested after the car jumped a curb and stopped, while Brown, the suspected gunman, escaped on foot.

Police were able to arrest Brown the following day, after interviewing Williams.

Police Officer Marvin Anthony, who is heading up the investigation, read portions of his original interview with Williams during the preliminary exam. In the exchange, Williams told the officer that it was Brown's idea to rob "a transgender" and use a rifle as a scare tactic.

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"Charlie told me he was going to jump out with a rifle, and when the transgender drops it (a purse,) to get it," Williams told Anthony in a Friday, Nov. 17 interview, hours after the attack.

"He told me 'Lil Bro, all you got to do is grab her purse when she drops it,'" Williams said, later adding, "The transgender was kind of fighting back, that's when Hothead (Brown's nickname) fired a shot at the ground, and the transgender dropped the purse."

Brown has maintained that he was not in the vehicle during the robbery and only got back in the car when the chase ensued.

Brown is charged with assault with intent to commit murder, assault with intent to commit great bodily harm, armed robbery resulting in serious injury, armed robbery, fleeing and eluding, use of a firearm in connection with a felony, felon in possession of a firearm, and being a habitual offender — a second offense.

Williams was originally charged with armed robbery resulting in serious injury, armed robbery, use of a firearm in connection with a felony, felon in possession of a firearm, and being a habitual offender, fourth offense.

The case was worked on in conjunction with Fair Michigan Justice Project, a nonprofit group announced in July 2016 that assists Michigan law enforcement officers and prosecutors in solving serious crimes against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons.

It's unclear if Maxwell, the victim, was targeted because she is transgender. When asked during at the preliminary hearing, a police officer working the case said it was too early tell.

Between 2011 and 2016, seven trans or gender-nonconforming individuals were killed in Detroit. Of that number, all were last seen in the same stretch of Woodward across from Palmer Park, where Maxwell was shot. The spot is also known as a place for Johns to pick up transgender women.

"If someone wants to do something to a trans woman, it's unfortunate but they know they can go on any given day to Six Mile and Woodward and find any of them," Julisa Abad, the transgender director of outreach and advocacy at the Fair Michigan Justice Project told the Free Press last year. She noted that all of the trans or gender-nonconforming individuals that were killed between 2011 and 2016 were involved in what she called survival sex work. Maxwell also testified that this was why she was on Woodward at that hour.

According to Abad, many transgender women turn to the streets to make money, because of discrimination and a lack of job opportunities. The very thing they're doing to survive, however, also puts them in the direct line of danger as walking targets.

Maxwell, who suffered two gunshot wounds, is currently in a rehab facility learning to walk again.

Contact Allie Gross: aegross@freepress.com