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
-
“I hurt somebody”: Body camera reveals moments after deadly drunk driving crash
Newly obtained body camera footage is shedding light on how police officers handled a 2022 crash that left one man dead and injured several people.
Environmental groups call for public input on state's environmental regulations
Environmental advocates are calling on Hoosiers to express their concerns to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.
Judge upholds security presence at Lugar Tower after resident concerns
A judge has ruled that security must remain in place at Lugar Tower, following concerns from residents over crime, including drug activity, assaults, and robberies.
Children's Museum dinos ready to slam dunk All-Star Weekend in new WNBA gear
🦖 The iconic outdoor dinosaurs at The Children's Museum are now decked out in WNBA All-Star gear. Check out their vibrant new look as we gear up for the big weekend.
