Antwan “Tank” Mims of Benton Harbor is in the Berrien County Jail, held without bond on five charges including a pair of first-degree premeditated murder counts. He was arrested by the FBI on July 31 in suburban Atlanta for the murders of Cortez Miller and Michael Johnson at a house party in Benton Harbor on March 25. He had been added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list in June. Mims was clad in a green county jail jumpsuit and calmly nodded as Judge Arthur Cotter read off the charges at his video arraignment Tuesday afternoon, saying he understood the charges against him and the possible penalty of life in prison without parole. He turned down being represented by the Berrien County Public Defenders’ office and said he will hire Orlando Avant of Southfield as his defense attorney. Prosecutors say Mims had been in Indiana and New York before being caught in Georgia on his way to Miami, Florida. Judge Cotter said the court has 90 days to begin the trial, with future court dates to be scheduled later.
