Toledo man accused of murder ordered to remain in Lucas County jail in lieu of $1M bond

Miller.

Miller.

A man accused of murder was ordered today to remain in the Lucas County jail in lieu of $1 million bond.

Jerome Carter, 26, of 2520 Monroe St., was arraigned in Toledo Municipal Court. A felonious assault charge that had been filed against him before the victim, Jeffrey Miller-Lee, died on Tuesday, was dismissed.

Mr. Miller-Lee, 27, was reportedly punched and kicked on his head and body and then thrown 8 feet onto a sidewalk where he suffered life-threatening injuries on Saturday night. The victim was hospitalized at Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center until Tuesday when he was taken off of life support at about 1:15 p.m., police said.

It's not clear what the victim and suspect, and possibly a second unidentified accomplice, were fighting about outside 417 Cumberland Place, where the assault occurred.

An autopsy on Mr. Miller-Lee's body is to be performed today by the Lucas County Coroner's Office.

Accused of murder, Jerome Carter was ordered today to remain in the Lucas County jail in lieu of $1 million bond.

During the arraignment today, the victim's mother, Bernadette Crowder-Lee, became upset and started to cry in court.

"My baby," she cried. As she was escorted from the courtroom, she looked over a shoulder toward the suspect and asked, "Why?"

Another woman, who officials said was there to support Carter, also cried as she sat in the crowd.

When the proceedings were finished, Lucas County deputies rushed outside -- one ran down the upstairs escalator -- and provided escorts for each family. It did not appear that there was any disturbance between the families in court.