Suspect was allegedly drunk in court before fatal stabbing - Fox 2 News Headlines

Wednesday afternoon SkyFox was over a deadly scene.  54-year-old Leroy Leaper had been stabbed.  He would later die.  Police say he was trying to help a woman who was arguing with another man.

It happened right on the border between Detroit and Grosse Pointe Park.  It turns out the suspected killer had been a problem earlier in the day and Grosse Pointe Park police had confronted him twice.

"They threw him out of court because he was delusional.  He was crazy," said Paul Nored.

His friend had been in court with the man earlier for an eviction hearing.  He was allegedly drunk and disruptive and was removed from court by police.

He left, but ended up sprawled out on the sidewalk nearby.  Police again had to respond.

"They [said] they [were] going to take him to Receiving, get some help because he was mental.  That's when instead of taking him, they dropped him off there," Nored explained.

Grosse Pointe Park Police Chief David Hiller said the man was drunk, but he was not injured.  He refused medical treatment and asked to be taken back to his home, which Grosse Pointe Park police did.

That was early Wednesday afternoon.  A short time later it's alleged he stabbed 54-year-old Leaper to death.

"It could've been prevented because if they had just [taken] him to the hospital, none of that would've ... happened," Nored said.

The Grosse Pointe Park police chief said they cannot force someone to go to the hospital.  Meantime, Detroit police have arrested the suspect, a man who was often seen around town washing windows and doing other odd jobs.

"We'll be submitting an investigative report to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office, but we feel very confident that this case will be closed with that arrest," said Detroit Police Chief Ralph Godbee.