Antonio Green appeared in court on open murder charges related to the July 2025 shooting death of Mia Sims.
By ELIZABETH FERSZT
Contributing Writer
Antonio Green, 20, appeared before Hon. Susan Jordan, in the 4th Circuit Court May 15, for a final pre-trial conference, on charges of open murder for the shooting death of Mia Sims, 18. Sims was killed Sunday, July 27, 2025, outside of the Peoples United Community Church on Carl Breeding Way in the City of Jackson.
Jackson County Prosecutor Kelsey Guernsey appeared in person to handle the case. Green’s attorney, William Amadeo of Ann Arbor appeared via Zoom.
Guernsey explained that the final PTC could not move forward, and the June 8 trial date, would also not work. She stated that she and her office, including Audrey Sayles Reed (the assistant prosecutor who is helping her with the Green case), have time conflicts, and “Mr. Amadeo told us he has about 14 murder trials in the next 12 months or so,” she said.
Judge Jordan then set a motion practice cut off date of July 31, a final PTC for Aug. 28, and a new trial date for Sept. 21. All parties agreed and the hearing was ended.
Amadeo later stated in a phone interview that he is planning on filing three motions: change of venue; missing witness; and motion to quash. “The motion to quash is equivalent to a motion to dismiss,” he said. “I don’t think they have met probable cause to move forward with the charges. There is no physical evidence; nobody saw him (Green) do it; no DNA,” Amadeo said, although he agreed that there may be circumstantial evidence.
The missing witness motion refers to Shellby Fung. Her son, Teasean Bartkowiak, 16, was killed June 4, 2025, allegedly by Julian Powell. Fung is the initial witness, or police point of contact for accusing Antonio Green in the murder of Mia Sims, as her other son and cousins or friends were allegedly on a Facetime call with Green the morning of July 27, when Sims was killed.
The connection is murky, but the other son and his cousins and friends (Roland Cowper, Brian Boyd, Davion Westbrook, and a 15-year-old boy) all testified at Green’s preliminary exam in October 2025. During part of the testimony, Amadeo asked Westbrook about what the police told him had happened that morning. “A girl got shot,” said Westbrook. “So, you have no way to identify who shot the girl?” Amadeo asked. “No, not really,” said Westbrook.
The fact that Fung was not called and did not testify presents a confrontation clause problem — a Constitutional issue in that the 6th Amendment provides for the right of the accused to be confronted with witnesses against him. If Fung as accuser does not show or is not questioned, then Green’s 6th Amendment rights may have been violated.
The motion for change of venue is perhaps the most controversial: “It’s based on the Mayor (Daniel Mahoney) trying the case on Facebook,” Amadeo said.
Mahoney, in his avatar, Daniel the Creator, posted several first-person videos on Facebook in late July and August 2025, imploring Green to turn himself in; mentioning him by name, and by his nickname, Poppy. Green was eventually found and extradited from Fresno, California.
“Antonio’s rights have to be preserved.” Amadeo said, stating also that his client was “in good spirits right now regarding the case.” Amadeo also shared that since the case began, he has personally been threatened by unknown persons online and by phone and text; and was followed to his car parked in the court parking lot.
Green faces three serious charges: Homicide — Open Murder, Weapons — Firearms: Discharge in or at a building resulting in death, and Weapons — Felony Firearm: Pneumatic Gun.
Green appeared in orange jail garb and gold shackles. Three of his family members were in the court; one said, “Love you,” to him as he passed by the gallery after the hearing.
On the other side of the gallery, about three rows of Sims family members, including the Mayor of Jackson, Daniel Mahoney (who is Sims uncle), were in attendance.
Jordan is now installed in Judge Thomas Wilson’s former courtroom on the 4th floor; while Judge Allison Bates (formerly sitting in the 12th District Court on the 2nd floor) is now installed in Jordan’s former courtroom on the 5th floor. The newest district court judge, Hon. Nicole Hughes is in Bates’ old courtroom.
