Man charged with murder, again, in bouncer's death

By Ron Savage
Fox 2 News Reporter

DETROIT (WJBK) -- 41-year-old Lew Ferrin was on the job dealing with troublemakers at Club Pandemonium.

"Just a great guy.  He would help anybody who needed it.  If he had a friend that needed clothing, a ride, money, anything, needed to visit them in the hospital... he would be there for everybody," said Mark Ferrin, the victim's brother.

It was 1:15 a.m. on September 23 when police say a customer got out of line.  Ferrin intervened.  Police say 20-year-old Trevon Dumas jumped on Ferrin, punching him in the head and neck.  Investigators further say Dumas used a sharp object and cut Ferrin's throat.  He died in route to the hospital.

In Judge Katherine Hansen's courtroom Thursday, she said there was no probable cause or evidence that Dumas slit Ferrin's throat.  However, witnesses saw Dumas punching Ferrin, and surveillance video also showed that.  So Dumas was charged with a misdemeanor, assault and battery, but not charged with first-degree murder.

Ferrin's family was stunned.

"We didn't know what to think.  No words.  Loss of words.  Lots of phone calls came in saying is this for real, did I hear this right?  What is going on?  And again, I had no answers for anybody," Ferrin explained.

Then a startling new wrinkle.  Prosecutors Kym Worthy reissued a new first-degree murder warrant and Detroit police picked up Dumas again.  He's being held facing arraignment.

Ferrin's family is demanding justice for their loved one who was simply doing his job.

"People get out of line and the security's job is to escort them out, and I would say 99 times out of 100 or whatever that ratio may be, they just leave.  This time it didn't happen that way," Ferrin said.

Dumas is expected to be arraigned as early as Saturday or perhaps as late as Monday.