Custodio Ramirez, who is accused of wounding Detective David Powell and bystander Marvin Williams, did not contest the charges against him, so the hearing was to determine the amount of bail, which was tripled to $1 million.
German Ramirez, who had been working a variety of handyman jobs in Raleigh, had been held as a material witness to determine his relationship with Custodio Ramirez.
Using court-appointed interpreters because neither Ramirez spoke English, German Ramirez testified that he was Custodio Ramirez' friend, and was with him before and after the shooting at Top Rank Sports Bar on Poole Road.
It was a conversation after the shooting that tweaked Wake County District Attorney Colon Willoughby's interest.
"Ah, yes, he did tell me that he shot someone, but he doesn't know who. He didn't know who because a flashlight was shining in his face," Ramirez testified.
During the hearing, Custodio Ramirez' girlfriend, Lisa Ruffin, said they exchanged heated words on the night of the shooting. She said he slapped her face and then said she saw him produce a pistol and fire it into the ground.
District Attorney Colon Willoughby said that the testimony of German Ramirez was vital to the case.
"It established conclusively who the shooter was, and that's a significant issue. We have two serious assaults and we needed to establish who the shooter was," said Willoughby.
After the hearing, German Ramirez was released from custody.
The charge of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill now goes to the Wake County Grand Jury for indictment.
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