Police Say Victim Wasn't Pushed Off Bridge -- Suspect In Attack Pleads Not Guilty To Murder

DETROIT - A woman who died trying to escape an attack on a bridge jumped off the span, according to police who backed off their original story that onlookers cheered the assault.

Martell Welch, 19, pleaded not guilty yesterday to second-degree murder in the death of Deletha Word. He faces up to life in prison if convicted.

Word was not pushed, but leapt off the Belle Isle bridge on her own and fell 32 feet into the Detroit River, police Cmdr. Gerald Stewart said yesterday. Some witnesses even said the attacker told her not to jump, Stewart said.

"We know for a fact that she was not pushed over," he said. "She was probably trying to escape."

But family members doubted that Word jumped because she didn't know how to swim. And in court, Magistrate Kerry Leon Jackson read from a report that quoted a witness as telling police the suspect spoke of throwing the woman over the bridge.

Early reports said some onlookers cheered as the 33-year-old woman was attacked early Saturday after a minor traffic accident. Stewart said there was no evidence to back up those accounts.

"I think that was just an exaggeration of some of the people out there," he said.

He said the reports may have stemmed from motorists honking their horns at a traffic jam on the bridge, or from onlookers' yells of horror when they saw Word plunge into the river.

"That could have been taken for some kind of festive occasion, but they also may have been trying to stop this dastardly deed from happening," Stewart said.

Welch's bail was set at $250,000, and Jackson set a Sept. 1 preliminary hearing.

Welch did not speak at his arraignment. His attorney, Wanda Cal, said he attended Wayne State University and planned to enter Eastern Michigan University in the fall to study architectural design.

Two other men who had been held for questioning were released yesterday.

Belle Isle, a popular island park in the Detroit River between Michigan and Canada, was packed with people early Saturday morning.

The trouble started when Word's car was involved in a minor collision with Welch's car around 3 a.m., Stewart said.

Stewart said Welch got out and attacked her car with a crowbar, then pulled her from the car, ripping her clothing and punching her as she resisted.

Stewart said Welch chased Word with the crowbar, and she jumped into the river. Her body was found miles downstream several hours later, missing a leg that was possibly cut off by a boat propeller.