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Ryan Matthew Fisher, 29, faces a possible life sentence if he is convicted under federal and state laws. Michigan statute, MCL 333.7401, provides for the charge of "delivery of controlled substance causing death.Ó

Fisher was a client of attorney Greg Justis who died on June 26, 2006, from what has been ruled a drug overdose.

Fisher appeared for the preliminary examination in the 90th District Court in Petoskey with his attorney, Mary Beth Kur, on Aug. 29.

Duane Beach from the Emmet County Prosecutor's Office represented the state of Michigan.

The first witness to testify did so from prison where she was incarcerated on separate crimes. Rhonda Richards related through video conferencing that she made trips to Detroit with Fisher to purchase heroin and cocaine.

Richards also testified that after Justis died, Fisher called her and told her that he was scared and that Justishad overdosed in his (Fisher's) car.

Another witness, Roger Cicotte, testified that he too had made trips to Detroit to buy drugs with Fisher. Both Richards and Cicotte said there were occasions when they drove with Fisher to attorney Justis's office after the trips downstate.

Upon questioning by Kur, Cicotte said he was testifying on behalf of the Michigan State Police. Charges against Cicotte of malicious destruction of property were dropped in light of the testimony, he said. In response to Kur's questions, both Richards and Cicotte said they never saw an exchange of drugs from Fisher to Justis.

Attorney Ron Powers, who had been opposite Justis in court cases throughout the years, testified that he saw Justis in the courthouse on June 26, 2006, the day Justis died.

At the time he talked with him, Powers said he saw nothing unusual in Justis's demeanor or actions, although he had noticed unusual behavior on a few occasions.

Powers said he could not positively identify the defendant as the person who was with Justis on that day.

But court records show that Fisher has admitted to police that Justis was in Fisher's car when he died.

That was corroborated by a court officer, Ed Mattson, who testified that he was in his office when he was informed that Fisher had notified a clerk that he couldn't wake up Justis, who was with him outside the county building.

Mattson went outside to Fisher's car where he and an officer tried to resuscitate Justis.

Dr. Carl Hawkins, a family physician and Emmet County Medical Examiner, testified that Fentanyl, a synthetic narcotic for pain, was the cause of Justis's death.

District Court Judge Richard W. May ordered Fisher bound over to circuit court on the same charge and continued bond in the amount of $100,000.