A lead witness for the defense of a Lake Leelanau man accused of murder and his brother have been arrested for selling cocaine in Leelanau County.

The development may play into the hands of the prosecution in the murder trail as court documents filed recently state that homicide victim Craig Romer was an informant for the Traverse Narcotics Team.

Amanda Tyler, also known as Amanda Robertson, and Roel Roman allegedly purchased about a one-half ounce of cocaine last month and divided it into smaller packages at their residence for later sales. Both reside at 62 S. French Rd., Lake Leelanau, the same location where Roman’s brother, Ricardo Roman Jr., is accused of fatally stabbing Tyler’s former boyfriend on Nov. 16, 2009.

The two Roman brothers and Tyler are now lodged in the Leelanau County Jail. Roel Roman has been charged with two counts and Tyler on count of delivery/manufacture of cocaine, a felony carrying a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison. Roel Roman’s legal problems go deeper, however, as he is also charged as an “habitual offender” with a maximum sentence of life in prison because of past felony convictions.

Neither county Prosecutor Joseph T. Hubbell nor defense attorney Jeffrey Slocombe, who is representing Ricardo Roman in the murder case, were talkative about the ramifications of the drug arrests to the murder trial.

Hubbell, however, said that the cocaine busts did not result from a targeted effort to arrest Tyler. “This really just fell into our lap,” he said.

And asked if the prosecution would be willing to offer a plea deal to have Tyler turn state’s witness, Hubbell replied: “Not at this point.”

Said Slocombe about having a defense witness arrested: “I have no comment at this time.”

The drug arrests may play into the murder trial on a different level if the prosecution is allowed to argue that one reason Ricardo Roman stabbed Romer was because of Romer’s role as an informant.

Slocombe is requesting through a pre-trial motion that Circuit Court Judge Thomas G. Power prevent the prosecution from pursuing the “decedent’s involvement with law enforcement.”

In a written response, chief assistant prosecuting attorney Douglas J. Donaldson argued, “Given that Ricardo Roman is a known drug dealer, decedent’s cooperation with law enforcement in informing on known associates of defendant may provide a motive for defendant to kill an unarmed man.”

The prosecution wants to bring up Roman’s criminal past during the trial.

“(Roman’s) prior prison terms and lengthy history (see sidebar story) of criminal associations may help explain to a jury how defendant was able to choose and use the murder weapon with a degree of surgical precision which clearly reflects both knowledge and planning,” Donaldson wrote. “Lastly, defendant’s history as an abusive spouse is relevant to show his violent nature in the face of a self-defense claim against an unarmed man.”

A pathologist testified in the preliminary hearing that Roman did not stab Romer from the front, but from the back or side. The knife was thrust through the lower ribs, kidney, lungs and into the heart.

Slocombe, however, laid the groundwork to argue that Romer was drunk at the time, and lunged at Roman who sidestepped the attack. As part of a case based upon self defense, Slocombe hopes to convince a jury that Romer fell into a kitchen knife held by Roman for protection.

Tyler was present in the house at the time of the homicide, and twice called 9-1-1. Slocombe planned to use her as a defense witness.

Tyler and Romer are the parents of an infant daughter who was staying in the home at the time of the homicide. Romer and Roman had argued during the day and through text messages into the evening. The prosecution will claim Romer went to the rental home to get his daughter, for whom he had parental custody. Tyler is not a custodial parent.

A court hearing has been scheduled to hear several motions at 8:30 a.m. Monday. The murder trial is scheduled to start May 5.

Tyler, 24, was arraigned Monday, and remains in jail on a $25,000 “cash surety” bond, which means the entire bond amount must be provided for her release. Roel Roman’s cash surety bond was set at $150,000.

According to court documents, Roel Roman and Tyler are accused of purchasing one-half ounce of cocaine on Jan. 7 while in the parking lot of the Marathon Kwik Mart in Bingham Township. The drugs were purchased with funds provided by a third person, who has not been charged. The drug money came from the third person’s “Bridge” card, documents state, which is issued to low-income state aid recipients.

All three allegedly returned to the Roman residence, where the cocaine was repackaged into one-half and one gram packets. Some of the cocaine was allegedly consumed then.

Roman is also accused of selling a small amount of cocaine at O’Keefe’s Firehouse Pub in Suttons Bay at a later date.