Homeless man waives hearing on attempted robbery charge
May 23—A homeless man who purportedly admitted to police that he tried to rob a Joplin convenience store "to get off the streets" has been ordered to stand trial on an attempted robbery charge.
William McCormick, 45, waived a preliminary hearing Thursday in Jasper County Circuit Court and was ordered bound over for trial on a count of first-degree attempted robbery. The court set his initial appearance in a trial division for June 5.
McCormick is accused of trying to rob the Quik Trip store at 6601 E. 32nd St. the morning of April 5, according to a probable-cause affidavit. Employees told police that a man they identified as the defendant entered the store and asked a clerk where the ATM was. When the clerk answered his question, McCormick allegedly told him he was there to rob the business and demanded money.
The clerk told him that he would have to wait for a manager to return from a back room before he could get him any money, according to the affidavit. Apparently frustrated with the situation, the suspect left the store for a few minutes before returning and once again demanding money while reaching toward the back of his waistband as if he had a weapon, according to the affidavit.
When a customer happened to enter the store at that point, the suspect left without obtaining any money, according to police. But he was still on the store's property when officers arrived minutes later and took him into custody.
