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	The Ypsilanti Courier A Heritage Newspaper Weekly Publication

Man accused of attacks stands trial

Holland faces series of charges, could receive life in prison

By Kathleen Conat, Special Writer

PUBLISHED: August 31, 2006

An alleged serial rapist and confessed murderer was ordered to stand trial last Friday on 29 felony counts involving six cases. The attacks occurred in Ypsilanti and Ypsilanti Township.

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After days of emotional testimony by victims and evidence presented by investigating officers, James Holland, Jr., 38, of Pittsfield Township was bound over by Washtenaw County District Judge Julie Creal Goodridge. Holland will stand trial on six cases: three rapes, two robberies and the 1991 murder of Lisa Shaw.

Holland had previously been bound over for trial in July on an attempted murder charge. He was arrested in January on that charge. He remains in jail without bond.

Ypsilanti Police and the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Department presented DNA evidence linking Holland to the rapes and robberies. In addition, the judge heard testimony from polygraph operator Harold Raupp regarding Holland's confession to the murder of 19-year-old Shaw in 1991 while her 11-month-old son cried in an adjoining room.

Raupp's testimony did not go into great detail, although he assured the judge he could present such detail at the actual trial, along with audio and video-taped recordings of the conversations he had with Holland.

Raupp testified that, during two days of conversations with him, Holland admitted to several of the other crimes with which he is charged. Raupp did not go into detail on those confessions, again saying he could give detailed testimony at Holland's actual trial.

According to Ypsilanti Police sources, Holland is suspected in other incidents of assault and criminal sexual conduct, including the vicious beating of a woman on North Congress Street in November of last year.

A lack of evidence and/or the inability of the victim to identify Holland as their attacker hindered those cases going to trial, however.

If convicted, Holland faces life in prison.

Kathleen Conat is a long-time Ypsilanti resident and freelance writer for the Courier. She can be reached at katcon@juno.com.