Morsels case bound over to 13th Circuit Court
Mar. 16—TRAVERSE CITY — The criminal case against a downtown Traverse City coffee shop owner is headed for 13th Circuit Court.
Edward Witkowski, Morsels Coffee Shop owner, waived his preliminary examination Friday.
Witkowski faces one felony count of using a computer to commit a crime, three felony counts of capturing/distributing an image of an unclothed person, and one misdemeanor count of lying to a police detective when he was questioned about the surveillance camera in his store.
He has pleaded not guilty to all counts.
On Friday afternoon, Witkowski appeared via Zoom next to his attorney Michael Naughton before Judge Robert Cooney at the 86th District Court in Traverse City for a scheduled preliminary examination.
Naughton asked for the case to be bound over to 13th Circuit Court and for his client to stand mute during the hearing.
Witkowski is next scheduled in court for a pre-trial conference on April 12.
Court staff said this would offer an opportunity for the prosecution to strike a plea deal with Witkowski's legal team. If not, the case could proceed to a jury trial.
Police arrested Witkowski on Nov. 10 after an investigation that began with two female employees reported finding a tiny camera hidden in the power outlet of the women's bathroom in the coffee shop.
Two protesters carrying signs on neon poster board stood outside the gray stone district courthouse throughout the duration of Witkowski's brief hearing Friday. They said they have attended all of his court hearings in person to show solidarity with the women who they believe were victimized.
