Judge denies self-defense in case of teen who shot 2 Detroit officers

(WJBK) - Court will convene Monday to determine if a 19-year-old charged with shooting two Detroit police officers will head to trial.

Juwan Plummer has been charged with two counts each of the following: intentional discharge of a firearm in a building causing serious injury (20 years), intentional discharge of a firearm in a building causing injury (15 years) and felonious assault (4 years). He has also been charged with four counts of felony firearm.

In April, two Detroit officers were responding to a reported home invasion when police say Plummer fired a shot out his window, striking both officers. One officer was struck in the face and the other was struck in the arm with shrapnel.

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Family says that Plummer was at home with his mother and 14-year-old sibling, and believed the officers he heard outside were burglars. Plummer's father says his son was still shaken up from an attempted break-in the week prior to the incident.

While in court Friday, the judge said that self-defense would not work in this instance.

"A peace officer lawfully in place at the front of house, if he is - as has happened in this case - shot by somebody within the house, they can't claim self-defense," he said.

A hearing was set for Monday to determine whether or not Plummer will head to trial, or whether he'll accept a plea deal.

"It's just draining right now. I don’t really have too much to say about it - just speechless, really," Plummer told reporters after Friday's hearing. "To all the people that support me - I appreciate you. Don't ever think that I don't love you. I appreciate you guys for having my back, especially the people that know where I come from, that know what we go through every day living in these communities. There's violence and drug dealing and drug possession and all that."

Several protesters stood outside the court building holding signs such as "Justice for Juwan."

One activist said Plummer did not know there were cops on the porch and that he was only trying to protect his family.

"Now they want to give him 9 1/2 years if he doesn't take a plea bargain. That's up to Juwan what he wants to do. I'm thinking in terms of possibly an all-white jury, he won't stand a chance," she said. "I was hoping he would get probation, or some kind of other option."

Another activist said it was (unconscionable) for the judge to take away Juwan's right to claim self-defense.

"Self-defense is not a crime," she said. "The plea deal of two years in prison or take you chance (and go to trial) and get 10 - that's (unconscionable) for a young man that has no criminal record."