Shelby Restaurant Beating Case Heads to Higher Court

A Shelby Township restaurateur and his brother waived their preliminary exams Monday in 41A District Court on charges they

Giuseppe and Girolamo D'Anna are scheduled to appear at 1:30 p.m. Sept. 6 in Macomb County Circuit Court in Mount Clemens. Their attorneys declined to comment on whether they would take a plea deal.

Arriving Monday afternoon in the district court, the brothers were ushered in by their lawyers, Vincenzo Manzella for Girolamo D'Anna and high-profile defense lawyer James Thomas, representing Giuseppe D'Anna.

Thomas' client is the owner of the popular . He and his brother have been charged with attempted murder, extortion and witness intimidation for an April 28 attack on owner Pietro Ventimiglia inside his restaurant in the Schoenherr and 23 Mile area.

They signed the waiver that moves the case from district to circuit court in a private meeting room in the courthouse. The expedited process is a new method at the court to help alleviate the judge's docket, according to court officials.

According to Shelby Township Police Lt. Stan Muszynski, the crime took place because the defendants were angry Ventimiglia was expanding his business.

"Your honor, threats were made on the victim by the defendants on the case to kill his family here, his family in Italy. They also made threats to the business, I believe, regarding employees," Muszynski told 41A District Court Judge Douglas Shepherd at a previous appearance.

The suspects are free on previously posted $25,000 cash/surety bonds and were ordered to relinquish their passports. Their lawyers said they are not flight risks.