Dwight Respess, 48, of Farmington Hills was scheduled to appear before Judge Cynthia Arvant at the 46th District Court in Southfield on Wednesday, Aug. 12, three weeks after he was arraigned on one count of illegal dumping for allegedly leaving animal remains at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery.

The hearing was set for 8:45 a.m. The outcome was not immediately available.

Respess was charged July 22 after the Southfield Police Department spent months investigating repeated deposits of red snapper fish and pigeon remains at the entrance of the Catholic cemetery at 25800 W. 10 Mile Road, near the Farmington Hills border.

Police said the investigation ran from March through July. Southfield Police Lt. Mo Bzeih told C&G Newspapers that once officers made contact with Respess, he was cooperative and acknowledged the activity. Respess allegedly told investigators the remains were part of a personal religious practice tied to the Ifa spiritual tradition that he believed would protect him from death.

"Religious beliefs don't exempt a person from complying with laws governing sanitation," Bzeih said at the time of the July 22 arraignment.

Bzeih emphasized the charge was based on the unlawful disposal of animal remains, not on Respess's religious beliefs.

Respess posted a $600 cash bond after his arraignment. His bond conditions bar him from returning to Holy Sepulchre Cemetery and require him to dispose of trash properly. As of July 23, no attorney had been assigned to his case.

Under Michigan's general illegal dumping statute, a first offense involving three cubic feet or more of litter is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $2,500. A conviction also requires the court to order the offender to remove the litter and repair any property damage.

Residents with information related to the case can contact the Southfield Police Department.