WAYNE COUNTY — The man accused of shooting and critically injuring Richmond Police Officer Seara Burton made his first court appearance Friday.
WRTV was inside the courtroom as Phillip Lee, 47, appeared virtually from his hospital bed and entered a preliminary not guilty plea.
Lee was also appointed an attorney during the 11 minute court appearance. His bail remains at $1.5 million.
Lee told the court he is not currently employed and has no income. When asked when his last job was, he said "it’s been a long time, 2000-something, I don’t know. I really don’t remember.”
Lee now faces a total of three attempted murder charges — one in the shooting of Burton, who remains hospitalized, and two other Richmond officers who were at the scene the night of Aug. 10.
On Wednesday, Richmond Police said Burton remains in critical condition.
"There have been some bright spots since Wednesday, but her condition is still very serious," police shared on Facebook.
Burton and the other officers encountered Lee about 6 p.m. Aug. 10 during a traffic stop in the 200 block of North 12th Street shortly after a narcotics unit believed they saw lee complete a narcotics transaction nearby. Lee was known to police as a drug offender, documents allege.
Burton's K-9 partner Brev sniffed a scooter Lee was driving and indicated the possible presence of narcotics, at which point Lee drew a handgun from his waist and fired at the officers, documents allege.
Newly-released details from the supplemental affidavit allege Lee had his hands in his pockets during the search and officers commanded him several times to show his hands before he drew the gun.
Online court records show Lee's next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 3 and the trail is set for Nov. 1.
RELATED | Most criminal cases in Indiana end in a plea agreement, less than 5 percent of cases end up going to trial | 'He pulled the gun and fired with no hesitation': Neighbor recounts moments before Richmond officer shot |Suspect in shooting of Richmond police officer has criminal history dating back to 1994
-
Democratic governors bracing themselves for second Trump presidency
Democratic governors and state attorneys general are bracing for a Trump administration that could undo their policy goals.
State cites Westfield daycare for not reporting suspected child abuse incident
The state has cited KinderCare, located on Gunther Road, for not reporting a suspected child abuse incident that happened in December 2023.
NFL Scouting Combine to remain in Indianapolis through 2026
The 2024 NFL Combine generated a record-setting $9.26 million while attracting over 27,000 fans. Indianapolis has hosted the combine since 1987.
AG Rokita sues Hubbard Gardens Apartments for dire living conditions
WRTV first visited Hubbard Gardens Apartments in Sept. where residents told us they had been living with raw sewage coming out of their sinks for over a month.
