http://www.livingstondaily.com/article/20090204/NEWS01/902040306

COURT DOCKET: Trial date set in prescription death

An April 27 trial date has been set for a Novi man accused of delivering the methadone that killed a Brighton woman in August.

Norman Kenneth Schoder's former live-in girlfriend testified at an earlier preliminary hearing that the 24-year-old man sold Frances Buresh his prescription methadone pills, which a medical examiner said contributed to the Aug. 5 death of the victim.

A Brighton detective testified that officers went to Buresh's home Aug. 9 for a welfare check, after friends reported not seeing Buresh in several days.

Officers found Buresh dead on her couch and eight white pills, later identified as methadone, in a small container.

An autopsy later showed that Buresh died of "methadone intoxication," and that she also had alcohol in her system.

Schroder is charged with delivering a controlled substance causing death. The crime is punishable by imprisonment up to life.

He returns to Livingston County Circuit Court on March 16 for a pretrial conference. The case heads to trial if no plea deal is reached.

More detail in this older article from January...

Man to stand trial in methadone death

A Novi man was ordered to stand trial on charges his delivering methadone to a Brighton woman caused her death in August.

Norman Kenneth Schoder's former live-in girlfriend testified at a preliminary hearing Thursday that the 24-year-old man sold Frances Buresh his prescription methadone pills, which a medical examiner said contributed to the death of the victim.

Cassandra Redmond of Flint testified that Schroder told her, "I hope (Buresh) didn't die because of the methadone pills," after learning Buresh had been found in her home in the Hidden Arbor condominium development Aug. 9.

The hearing ended with Livingston County District Judge Carol Sue Reader ordering Schroder tried on a charge of delivering a controlled substance causing death. The crime is punishable by imprisonment up to life.

Redmond said she met and became friends with Buresh, whom she knew as Tina, at Narcotics Anonymous. She said that on Aug. 5, Schroder and Buresh discussed on the phone the potential sale of Schroder's methadone.

She told police she believed Schroder sold the 40-year-old Buresh 15 pills.

On that day, Buresh spent the evening with the couple at their tNovi apartment. Redmond's testimony was conflicting on whether Buresh drank alcohol or consumed methadone pills that day.

Redmond testified that the next day she and Schroder took Buresh home, stopping at a bank so Buresh could withdraw $90 to give to Schroder to pay for the methadone. Bank records show the woman made the withdrawal at 5:54 p.m.

Brighton Police Detective Bradley Patton testified that officers went to Buresh's home Aug. 9 for a welfare check, after friends reported not seeing Buresh in several days.

Officers found Buresh dead on her couch and eight white pills, later identified as methadone, in a small container.

An autopsy later showed that Buresh died of "methadone intoxication," and that she also had alcohol in her system.

Howell defense attorney Mark Gatesman questioned Buresh's drug use, and Patton said his investigation showed that Buresh was a "known drug user" and that her drug of choice was heroin.

However, Assistant Prosecutor Shawn Ryan noted that the medical examiner did not find heroin in Buresh's system.

Schroder remains lodged in the Livingston County Jail. He is expected back in court next month.