law

Woman, 77, gets probation in church embezzlement

The Associated Press — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 15:38:09 +0000

MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. (AP) - A 77-year-old woman has been sentenced to five years of probation for taking money from a Detroit-area church and has been ordered to repay $50,000.

Helen Gvozdich was sentenced Tuesday in Macomb County Circuit Court in Mount Clemens, avoiding the possibility of up to two years behind bars. She earlier pleaded guilty to embezzlement in an agreement with prosecutors. Court records say a judge also ordered her to perform community service.

Her lawyer has said she devoted decades to serving the church and was the victim of an unfortunate series of events.

Authorities originally said that in 2008-2009 Gvozdich stole about $79,000 from St. Stevan Decanski Serbian Orthodox Church in Warren. Prosecutors say church officials agreed to accept $50,000 repayment if she pleaded guilty.

Court: No review of sentences for current juvenile lifers

Mark Brush — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 17:10:33 +0000

The Michigan Court of Appeals ruled that the U.S. Supreme Court decision striking down mandatory life sentences for juveniles convicted of murder does not apply retroactively.

The case involved a resentencing request for Raymond Carp. In 2006, Carp was convicted of first-degree murder as a 16-year old.

Charges filed against Michigan medical marijuana centers

Mark Brush — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 17:47:48 +0000

Michigan voters passed a medical marijuana law in 2008, but state prosecutors say its being abused.

The Times Herald of Port Huron reports on charges being leveled against a marijuana dispensary group:

Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette filed charges Wednesday against six people connected to an investigation of the Blue Water Compassion Centers in St. Clair, Sanilac and Tuscola counties.
Authorities raided the centers, which distributed information about medical marijuana and other products, on Dec. 9, 2011 in Kimball Township in St. Clair County, Denmark Township in Tuscola County, and Worth Township and Lexington in Sanilac County.
Authorities also raided a greenhouse in Worth Township as well as the home of Debra Amsdill.
Six people face multiple felony charges, according to information and warrant documents from the attorney general’s office.

Debra Amsdill, an owner of the Blue Water Compassion Centers, said she would issue a statement on the charges tomorrow.

Updates on the I-96 shooter

Mark Brush and Stateside Staff — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 18:00:37 +0000

Update Thursday, November 1, 2:00 p.m.

A series of shootings on or near I-96 has Michigan motorists thinking twice about driving the interstate.

A police task force reports 24 confirmed shootings since October 16. Here is a summary of what we've learned since then:

Former charter school director in Muskegon charged with falsifying count records

Mark Brush — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 15:48:34 +0000

Student Count Day just took place across Michigan earlier this week. The amount of state aid a school receives is dependent on the number of students attending.

Now we hear news about a charter school director who may have falsified student count records.

Saginaw police officers disciplined in wake of homeless man shooting, mother still looks for answers

Mark Brush — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 16:56:21 +0000

Earlier this month it was announced the Saginaw police officers who shot and killed a homeless, mentally ill man would not face criminal charges. 49-year-old Milton Hall was killed by Saginaw Police July 1, after police say he refused to drop a knife. Six officers fired several dozen shots at Hall.

Now we hear that some officers will be disciplined internally by the Saginaw Police Department.

A violent weekend in Flint, Michigan, homicides hit 50

Mark Brush — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 15:02:04 +0000

The Flint Journal reports this morning about three killings over the weekend, bring the total number of homicides to 50:

Three homicides in as many days has brought the city's total to 50 slayings for the year.

The latest was a shooting and hit and run that left one man dead...
The city didn't record its 50th homicide last year until late October.

In 2010, the city set a record for the number of homicides at 66. That's in a city with a shrinking population.

Owners of M-22 logo promise to "go down fighting"

Mark Brush — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 17:02:42 +0000

Several years ago, brothers Matt and Keegan Myers had an idea - capitalize on the love people have for the Leelanau County area by selling t-shirts, hats, coffee cups, bumper stickers, wine, and other items with the state highway M-22 logo on them.

State highway M-22 winds through the scenic coastal areas northwest of Traverse City, and along the Sleeping Bear Dunes, Michigan's "pinkie."

With no trace of bedbugs, Detroit court back in session

Mark Brush — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 14:37:16 +0000

Yesterday, 36th District Judge Cylenthia LaToye Miller cleared her courtroom after bedbugs were reportedly seen on a man sitting in the courtroom.

Today, the Associated Press reports the court is back in session:

Court officials say a pest control company was called in to investigate and found no evidence of the presence of bedbugs. A release called it a "false alarm."
The man was accompanying a witness to a hearing before Miller. His daughter later said she knew there were bedbugs in her father's house.
Miller said Thursday the evacuation was "for everybody's well-being." Her staff was sent home after Miller was unable to move her cases to another courtroom.

Pastor in West Michigan accused of embezzling more than $100,000

Mark Brush — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 14:30:37 +0000

MLive reports the Pastor of a church with around 750 members confessed to turning in receipts for reimbursement that were never approved.

Juvenile lifer ruling requires authorities to track down victims

Rick Pluta — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 22:01:46 +0000

There is some question on the reach of a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that struck down automatic life-without-parole sentences for juveniles.

Attorney General Bill Schuette’s office says it may only apply going forward and not to the 366 juvenile lifers currently serving in Michigan prisons.

Dawn Van Hoek directs the State Appellate Defender Office, which represents some of the juvenile lifers. She disagrees and said every juvenile sentenced to life without parole should get a new hearing.

“I think they’ve already signaled, the Supreme Court has, and, you know, you have to wonder why even bother if you’re not going to apply it to the hundreds of people who were affected nationwide by these unconstitutional laws,” said Van Hoek.

That would also require the state to track down the families of murder victims who have a right under Michigan law to testify at sentencing hearings.

Three things people in poverty worry about that you probably don't

Michigan Radio Newsroom — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 13:32:22 +0000

Many little things can conspire to keep people from climbing out of poverty.

Dustin Dwyer of Michigan Radio’s State of Opportunity project takes of look at some of them in his report, When Working Hard Doesn't Necessarily Get You Out of Poverty.

He writes, “life is hard for people in poverty. But, … you still have no idea what it’s like to live with poverty day after day.”

Here are three things that the average middle class person probably doesn’t worry about.

"If you’ve got a college degree, and you’re on salary, would taking your daughter to school really be a major factor in losing your job?" It was for the father Dustin Dwyer spoke to in his story.
Losing your kids to the foster care system, not because you do horrible things, but because you don’t have the resources. University of Michigan law professor Vivek Sankaran says that happens more often than you'd think.
Not being able to pay your parking tickets and losing your license.

Commentary: Legislators, behaving badly?

Jack Lessenberry — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 14:33:58 +0000

You couldn’t say yesterday was a slow news day. We learned that Canada’s Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, would join Governor Rick Snyder today to announce the new bridge over the Detroit River.

Michigan finally eyeing changes to lawyers for poor

Carrie Johnson — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 12:03:55 +0000

Lawyers on all sides agree the system enshrined nearly 50 years ago that gives all defendants the right to a lawyer is not working. The Justice Department calls it a crisis — such a big problem that it's been doling out grants to improve how its adversaries perform in criminal cases.

Consider Michigan: Five times since the 1980s, independent groups have called on Michigan to change the way it pays lawyers for the poor. Each time, state officials have done nothing.

Panel: Oust Inkster judge for misusing court money

The Associated Press — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 18:20:02 +0000

INKSTER, Mich. (AP) - The Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission says a Detroit-area judge should lose her job and repay $81,000 for putting public money to personal and other improper uses.

The commission announced its recommendation Tuesday after hearings on the conduct of Inkster District Judge Sylvia James.

Investigators say James misspent at least $100,000, either for her personal use or for community projects unrelated to the court.

The commission has sent its findings to the Michigan Supreme Court, which holds oral arguments on the case July 25 in Lansing.

James has denied any wrongdoing, and her lawyer Sharon McPhail says James is a "hardworking judge."