Michigan man waives right to extradition
By CARRIE FRILLMAN cfrillman@daily-chronicle.com
DeKALB – A Michigan man wanted for a murder in that state waived his rights Wednesday morning to an extradition hearing.
In doing so, James W. McKinney, 49, of Pittsford, Mich., turned himself over to the Hillsdale County Sheriff's Office in Michigan, where he faces charges of homicide, unlawful driving away of a vehicle and felony firearms violations, according to a written statement from authorities there.
McKinney was arrested around 10:45 a.m. Monday at Hope Haven homeless shelter in DeKalb, without incident. A Michigan warrant was issued that day because authorities with the Hillsdale County Sheriff's Office say he shot in the head his 71-year-old roommate, James Harper, and then fled in a van belonging to Harper.
It is not known when Harper's death occurred, but it was not reported to police until his girlfriend found his body Saturday, according to Hillside authorities.
McKinney was pulled over by a DeKalb County Sheriff's deputy shortly after midnight Friday for a lane violation, according to Sheriff Roger Scott, and was charged with driving with a suspended license and for attempted obstruction of justice after he tried to give a false name.
McKinney told deputies his name was James Harper, Scott has said.
He was then taken to the county jail, and the vehicle he was driving was impounded, Scott said. Two illegal handguns were found in the van. There were no outstanding warrants for McKinney at that time of his initial arrest and he was released Saturday.
He was taken to Hope Haven, where shelter workers told him he could stay for two days as a transient. A routine police check on McKinney came back clear, according to Hope Haven Executive Director Lesly Wicks.
That's because the warrant from the Hillsdale County Sheriff's Office had not yet been issued — authorities filed it Monday morning after seeing the report of McKinney's arrest in a computer database.
McKinney was preparing to leave Hope Haven Monday when authorities called the shelter and asked workers to keep him there.
He was then taken into custody. The DeKalb County Public Defender's Office was appointed Tuesday to represent him and an attorney met with him before Wednesday's hearing, which was on the Michigan warrant.
McKinney is now awaiting extradition to Michigan and will remain in the DeKalb County Jail until authorities there make the necessary arrangements.
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