Deputy tases defendant following courthouse scuffle

Herring

Deputy tases defendant following courthouse scuffle

LUDINGTON — A defendant caused a disturbance at the Mason County Courthouse today, causing police to use their taser weapons on him. According to Mason County Sheriff Kim Cole, Carl Herring, 32, of Baldwin was in 79th District Court for a probable cause hearing. Cole said Herring caused an altercation in the courtroom and then, when being removed from the building, began fighting with deputies. As a result, a deputy discharged his taser on Herring. The 

Herring was appearing in court on charges of assaulting/resisting/obstructing a police officer and also being a habitual offender fourth offense. He was arrested on Feb. 5 following a an hour-long stand-off with law enforcement in the 7800 block of East Chicksaw Trail in Branch Township. Also arrested following that incident were Margaret Sweet, 66, of Scottville and Kurstin Sumner, 38, of Branch. Sweet faces charges of possession of methamphetamine/ecstacy and habitual offender fourth offense. She additionally faces probation violation charges. Sumner was arrested and charged with assaulting/resisting/obstructing a police officer. All the charges are felonies. 

Herring’s record includes four convictions of assaulting/resisting/obstructing a police officer, most recently in 2022, breaking and entering in 2014, possession of narcotics/cocaine in 2014, and breaking and entering in 2006. 

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