Judge denies prosecutor attempt to revoke bond for Austin White; says he cannot leave state

An attempt by prosecutors Monday to revoke bond for Austin White was denied, but an Isabella County judge says the former Central Michigan running back cannot leave the state.

Appearing back in Isabella County Trial Court, 20-year-old White, with his mom and brother looking on, stood silent as chief assistant prosecutor Risa Scully tried to convince Judge William T. Ervin to revoke his bond.

Scully cited the three-count felony White has been charged with, stemming from an April arrest in which police allege he was growing and selling hallucinogenic mushrooms in his Celani residence hall room. She also reiterated recent charges — home invasion, larceny — following his June 25 arrest in hometown Livonia.

But, in a new development, it was revealed that Livonia police are also investigating White in relation to a November home invasion. Chalk said the alleged home invasion took place sometime on Nov. 26 or 27 and was reported on Nov. 30. White has not been charged in the case, but Chalk said a report has been submitted to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office.

“I guess I’m not sure why his bond hasn’t been revoked earlier,” Scully said.

Scully called Livonia police detective Tim Chalk to the stand, who said a neighbor took a photo of White leaving the Livonia home in which he is alleged to have entered June 14 and stole the prescription drug Adderall.

Mary Chartier, the Lansing-based attorney representing White, refuted the charges after Chalk said White did not have the drug in his possession when he was arrested 11 days later. Chartier also pointed out that a witness failed to identify White in a suspect lineup.

“This flies in the face of the presumption of innocence,” Chartier said. “Wayne County gave him bond, and he has made every court appearance.”

Ervin called the charges “serious offenses,” but said he did not consider White a flight risk and denied Scully’s attempt to revoke his bond.

On June 29, citing the nature of the charges in Isabella County and recent charges in Wayne County, Isabella County judge Mark Duthie denied a motion that would allow White to leave the state with his family. AnnArbor.com reported in May that White’s father, Michael White, recently retired from his principal job at Pioneer High School in Ann Arbor to become principal at Bolingbrook High School in Illinois.

“You can’t leave the state with the family until these matters are sorted out,” Duthie told White.

Chartier said White’s mother would remain with him in Michigan until he allowed to leave the state.

Judge Ervin said Monday that White hopes to continue playing football in Illinois. Recruited by Rich Rodriguez at the University of Michigan, White left the program in August 2010 and transferred to CMU in January 2011.

While sitting out the 2011 season due to NCAA transfer rules, White was “suspended indefinitely” from the program by head coach Dan Enos in October for undisclosed reasons. He was later reinstated before being suspended prior to CMU’s April spring game.

White was kicked off the team following his April 18 arrest.