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GRAND RAPIDS, MI – A woman accused of fatally stabbing her boyfriend waived her right to a probable cause hearing on Tuesday, June 10, while her attorney negotiates with Kent County prosecutors for a possible plea deal.
No matter the outcome, her family cannot believe that Kenyia Townsend, a slight 35-year-old mother of three, would kill Rasheed "Rocky" Bryant, 30, unless she or her children were in danger.
“She’s so quiet – caught up with the wrong people,” said Bernice Mayweather, grandmother to the suspect – “she’s my girl” - as well Grand Rapids fighter Floyd Mayweather Jr.
An aunt, Eloise Mayweather-Harris, said both families are hurting. She said her niece would have left Bryant if she could have. Her family pointed to Bryant’s three previous convictions for domestic violence.
“To me, I feel strongly that it’s self-defense. That’s the bottom line. Nothing more, nothing less.”
Townsend is charged with second-degree murder in Bryant’s May 27 killing at a home on Underwood Avenue SE. Bryant was stabbed in the chest with a large butcher knife and died at the scene, Grand Rapids Police said.
Police responded to a 4:28 a.m. call to 911.
"I don't think I intentionally tried to hurt him like that," Townsend told a judge the day after the killing.
The families of both the defendant and victim packed Grand Rapids District Judge Donald Passenger’s courtroom for the brief hearing on Tuesday.
Townsend waived her right to a probable-cause hearing and had her case sent to Kent County Circuit Court. She remains held without bond.
Some of Bryant’s many supporters wore T-shirts in his honor. They left the courtroom ahead of Townsend’s supporters.
His family contends Bryant, who spent his last day at the grill for a family Memorial Day celebration, was sleeping when he was attacked. They said Townsend was angry that Bryant had chatted on Facebook with the mother of two of his daughters.
Police said the victim was likely not sleeping when he was stabbed.
Mayweather-Harris, the defendant’s aunt, said: “She does have a lot of family that loves her. … She is a very loving girl.”
Candace Mayweather said that Townsend, her cousin, called her in the middle of the night before the killing occurred. Mayweather did not hear her phone ring. She can’t help but think she could have helped had she answered.
“She wanted to leave … she told me. They were fighting so she couldn’t leave. I wish I could’ve just answered that phone.”
Early the next morning, she heard Bryant was dead.
She went to their home. She couldn’t believe the allegations.
“Never in a million years.”
GRAND RAPIDS, MI – A woman accused of fatally stabbing her boyfriend waived her right to a probable cause hearing on Tuesday, June 10, while her attorney negotiates with Kent County prosecutors for a possible plea deal.
No matter the outcome, her family cannot believe that Kenyia Townsend, a slight 35-year-old mother of three, would kill Rasheed "Rocky" Bryant, 30, unless she or her children were in danger.
“She’s so quiet – caught up with the wrong people,” said Bernice Mayweather, grandmother to the suspect – “she’s my girl” - as well Grand Rapids fighter Floyd Mayweather Jr.
An aunt, Eloise Mayweather-Harris, said both families are hurting. She said her niece would have left Bryant if she could have. Her family pointed to Bryant’s three previous convictions for domestic violence.
“To me, I feel strongly that it’s self-defense. That’s the bottom line. Nothing more, nothing less.”
Townsend is charged with second-degree murder in Bryant’s May 27 killing at a home on Underwood Avenue SE. Bryant was stabbed in the chest with a large butcher knife and died at the scene, Grand Rapids Police said.
Police responded to a 4:28 a.m. call to 911.
"I don't think I intentionally tried to hurt him like that," Townsend told a judge the day after the killing.
The families of both the defendant and victim packed Grand Rapids District Judge Donald Passenger’s courtroom for the brief hearing on Tuesday.
Townsend waived her right to a probable-cause hearing and had her case sent to Kent County Circuit Court. She remains held without bond.
Some of Bryant’s many supporters wore T-shirts in his honor. They left the courtroom ahead of Townsend’s supporters.
His family contends Bryant, who spent his last day at the grill for a family Memorial Day celebration, was sleeping when he was attacked. They said Townsend was angry that Bryant had chatted on Facebook with the mother of two of his daughters.
Police said the victim was likely not sleeping when he was stabbed.
Mayweather-Harris, the defendant’s aunt, said: “She does have a lot of family that loves her. … She is a very loving girl.”
Candace Mayweather said that Townsend, her cousin, called her in the middle of the night before the killing occurred. Mayweather did not hear her phone ring. She can’t help but think she could have helped had she answered.
“She wanted to leave … she told me. They were fighting so she couldn’t leave. I wish I could’ve just answered that phone.”
Early the next morning, she heard Bryant was dead.
She went to their home. She couldn’t believe the allegations.
“Never in a million years.”
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