A nearly-20 year veteran of the Keego Harbor Police Department was recently named its Chief of Police.

Robert Barnes, who most recently served as the department’s primary detective, was appointed to chief of police by a unanimous vote of the Keego Harbor city council. Barnes was officially sworn in on Aug. 15.

The position became available with the retirement of John Fitzgerald.

“We are confident that the City of Keego Harbor Police Department will continue to provide the same level of outstanding public safety and service that our residents deserve under Chief Barnes’ leadership,” said Mayor Rob Kalman.

Barnes began his law enforcement career with the City of Keego Harbor in 2005; promotions followed in 2012 and 2016 — when he completed detective school. As stated in a news release from the city, Barnes “has achieved a highly successful rate of warrant authorizations and criminal convictions through numerous investigations including armed robbery, sexual assaults, attempted homicides, child abuse, breaking and entering fraud and embezzlements.”

He’s also the department’s firearm and taser instructor, agency administrator and property/evidence manager.

However, the department’s police services may be in jeopardy if voters don’t approve a police millage renewal extension on the Nov. 5 ballot. The four-mill extension is expected to bring in approximately $450,000 tax dollars to fund the city’s allotted police budget of $1,072,581 for the next fiscal year. The remainder would come from the city’s general fund.

The millage extension is needed for a full-time dedicated Keego Harbor Police Department, officials said. Contracted police services could mean higher costs and reduced police coverage and response times, officials said.

The current budget pays for a full-time police chief, three full-time police officers and a full-time detective. It also funds increased training, existing contracted police services, police cruisers, increased resources for other equipment and technology replacement and new water rescue capabilities.

‘Imma shoot up the school tomorrow:’ South Lyon students charged for allegedly making threats

Oakland County business fraudster headed to prison

Preliminary exam set for Waterford man accused of sex crimes against young boys

Three South Lyon East High School students are facing charges for allegedly making school threats in social media posts.

As announced Wednesday by Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald, two of the students are charged with false report or threats of terrorism, and the other is charged with intentional threats to commit act of violence against school, school employee or students.

The charges stem from three social media posts from Sept. 8, according to the prosecutor’s office. The next day, a student reportedly shared a screenshot of the post which stated “[G]uys imma shoot up the school tomorrow,” the prosecutor’s office said. The teacher then reported the post to the school administration.

An investigation turned up two additional posts in the same group chat stating “I’m going to blow up the school,” according to the prosecutor’s office.

“Parents and kids should feel safe at school,” McDonald stated in a news release. “These threats directly impact students, teachers, and staff, and they also undermine our entire community’s confidence in the safety of our schools. It’s not a joke, and the charges we issued will ensure that these students face appropriate consequences.”

The Oakland Press has reached out to the prosecutor’s office for additional information on the students charged, including their ages, genders, and if they are currently in custody. It’s also not clear if they are charged as juveniles or adults, or if arraignment has occurred.  Check back for updates.

A Waterford Township man accused of sexually assaulting four boys, and having photos and videos of child sex abuse, will have a preliminary exam next month for a judge to decide if the case should proceed.

Logan Joseph Sutherland, 21, is charged with four counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct and two counts of possession of child sexually abusive material-aggravated. The boys he’s accused of abusing are ages 7, 10, 11 and 13, and the videos and photos involved in the case were found on his cell phone, police said.

A preliminary exam is scheduled for Oct. 8, where 51st District Judge Todd Fox will be presented with evidence and then determine if there’s probable cause for the case to advance to Oakland County Circuit Court for possible trial. A probable cause conference is to be held a week earlier than the exam, according to Sutherland’s court file.

Police arrested Sutherland on Aug. 27 at his Waterford home after detectives investigated a criminal sexual conduct complaint there involving a 10-year-old boy, police said. Since the arrest, three other alleged victims came forward, police said, for alleged assaults at Sutherland’s home as well as ZapZone, Sportway and SkyZone in Commerce Township. Sutherland had reportedly befriended parents of young boys to gain their trust and then have time alone with the children, police said.

The cell phone depicts photos of young boys other than the four identified, police said.

If convicted, Sutherland faces up to 15 years in prison. For now, he’s in the Oakland County Jail with bond set at $100,000.

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The case against a Flint woman accused of killing her toddler in Pontiac has been advanced to Oakland County Circuit Court for possible trial.

Latonya Thomas, 27, is scheduled to be arraigned by Judge Daniel O’Brien on Sept. 16. Held in the Oakland County Jail with bond set at $1 million, she’s charged with felony murder and first-degree child abuse for the April 25 death of her 3-year-old son, Zaveion Thomas.

The case was bound over from 50th District Court to the higher court on Sept. 6, following a preliminary exam.

According to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, the child was unresponsive when deputies responded to a 911 call for help at a home in the 100 block of Perry Place — and saw Thomas attempting to perform CPR on him. Paramedics transported the child to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead.

An autopsy revealed the child had been injured in an assault and the death was ruled a homicide. An investigation by detectives determined Thomas had assaulted him, causing the injuries that resulted in his death, the sheriff’s office said.

Thomas was arrested in June by the sheriff’s Fugitive Apprehension Team.

Woman accused of killing her toddler in Pontiac; jailed on $1M bond

Arizona man accused of rape at Auburn Hills hotel

An Arizona man accused of raping a woman in her hotel room in Auburn Hills last month has been arraigned on felony charges.

Joel Delavara, 36, of Yuma, is charged with first degree criminal sexual conduct, second degree criminal sexual conduct and first degree home invasion for allegedly gaining access to a woman’s hotel room by having a copy made of her key and then sexually assaulting her before flying back to Arizona.

The assault allegedly happened on Aug. 14.

Delavera was arraigned in 52-3 District Court on Sept. 5 where Magistrate Marie Soma set bond at $100,000 with a 10% provision — which means $10,000 will keep him out of jail for now. The bond was posted the same day. His court file states he’s to be monitored by electronic tether.

The case will be handled by the Special Victims Unit of the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office. The Oakland Press has requested a mugshot but hasn’t heard back yet.

Delavara is scheduled for a probable cause conference on Sept. 19 and a preliminary examination a week later before 52-3 Judge Lisa Asadoorian.

Delavara faces up to life in prison if convicted.

A woman who allegedly robbed stores in West Bloomfield and Orchard Lake on Wednesday night — firing at least two gunshots during the crimes — was arrested by West Bloomfield  police.

According to West Bloomfield police, a 911 call came in at around 8:40 p.m. from an employee at Twin Beach Market on Green Lake Road reporting a woman armed with a pistol entered the store and robbed him of cash, then fled. Soon after, 911 calls came in about other armed robberies in West Bloomfield and Orchard Lake believed to be perpetrated by the same suspect, including one at CVS Pharmacy at 6070 W. Maple Road where the woman reportedly fired two gunshots.

West Bloomfield police officers encountered the armed woman a short time later outside the CVS and took her into custody.

Police said the investigation so far indicates the woman acted alone. No injuries were reported, and police said there’s no known danger to the public in connection with the incidents.

As the investigation continues, anyone with further information on the West Bloomfield incidents is asked to contact Detective Phil Pacheco at 248-975-8905. Anyone with information on the Orchard Lake incidents is asked to contact Detective Michael Clement at 248-682-2400. A warrant request to the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office is expected at the conclusion of the investigation.

Substitute teacher charged with sex crimes against kids

A convicted killer’s mother was sentenced Wednesday for lying to police while they were investigating the murder six years ago in Pontiac.

At the sentencing hearing, Oakland County Circuit Judge Daniel O’Brien sent Guadalupe Maria Davila-Rodriguez of Pontiac to the Oakland County Jail for 11 days with credit for five days served, for lying to a peace officer in connection with the fatal shooting of Emilio Valdez. The charge was amended from an original charge of accessory after the fact to a felony.

Davila-Rodriguez pleaded no contest to the lesser charge.

Valdez’s body was found in Osmun Lake in Pontiac on June 7, 2018, but charges weren’t filed until 2022. Angel Alvarez, Davila-Rodriquez son, was convicted of second-degree murder for Valdez’s death at the conclusion of a jury trial in June and sentenced to 36.5 – 80 years in prison. Her other son, Juan Diego Hernandez of Center Line, was charged with lying to a peace officer during the Valdez homicide investigation and was sentenced last month to six days in jail with credit for one day served. He, too, pleaded no contest to the charge.

Valdez’s body was found in Osmun Lake in Pontiac on June 7, 2018, but charges weren’t filed until 2022. Angel Alvarez, Davila-Rodriquez’s other son, was convicted of second-degree murder for Valdez’s death at the conclusion of a jury trial in June.

Valdez was a 2016 graduate of Warren Mott High School who had moved from Macomb County to Pontiac. Not long after his death, investigators said the 20-year-old was shot twice and still alive when he was put into the lake.

According to court records, it was alleged that the car Alvarez used in the homicide was the same one Davila-Rodriguez reported stolen.

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An Oakland County jury returned with a guilty verdict Wednesday for a Pontiac man charged with a fatal shooting that happened after a spitting incident.

Following a trial that got underway Aug. 26, Sadarie Deshawn Donalson, 23, was convicted of second-degree murder, felony firearm, carrying a concealed weapon and resisting/obstructing a police officer for the slaying of Cornelius Jones, 33.

In July, co-defendant Dewaun Demarco Benion, 22, of Pontiac, pleaded no contest to assault with intent to do great bodily harm in connection with the incident. The crime is punishable by up to 10 years in prison; earlier this month Benion was sentenced to a year in jail with credit for 169 days.

The shooting happened Feb. 21 in an apartment in the 200 block of Carriage Circle Drive in Pontiac. According to prosecutors, Donalson and Benion attended a party at Jones’ apartment, where Benion and Jones got into an argument after Donalson spit in Jones’ sink. Jones told Donalson and Benion to leave — which they did, but then returned to Jones’ apartment where Benion and Jones got into a physical fight. After the fight stopped, Donalson shot Jones twice. Jones died soon after at a local hospital.

Donalson and Benion fled the apartment, but were subsequently arrested.

“This was a senseless killing stemming from a trivial conflict,” Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald stated in a news release, following the verdict. “I commend the work of law enforcement and the trial team in holding these defendants accountable for this killing. My office will continue to work to protect our community from gun violence and violent crime and we will work to hold dangerous criminals accountable under the law for their actions.”

Donalson faces up to life in prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for Oct. 10 before Oakland County Circuit Judge Jeffery Matis.

A thief hit the Golling Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram dealership on Telegraph Road in Bloomfield Township last weekend, stealing all four rims and tires from a Grand Cherokee, police said.

Officers on patrol last Sunday afternoon spotted the vehicle sitting on brick pavers, missing the tires and rims, then contacted the dealership about it, police said. The officers were told the rims and tires had been stolen Saturday night. Evidence technicians were then called in to process the Cherokee, police said.

The Bloomfield Township Police Department’s investigations unit is on the case. Anyone with further information about it is asked to call the police department at 248-433-7755.

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The state’s Cannabis Regulatory Agency is doing away with its semi-annual scheduled inspections at licensed marijuana stores and related facilities, and instead will have its regulation officers conduct surprise visits.

The CRA said the change is expected to “allow more flexibility for scheduling,” and will be more efficient. It will also result in increased knowledge about rules and regulations among the businesses’ employees, according to the CRA.

The new plan for unannounced inspections takes effect on Oct. 1. Prelicensure inspections will still be scheduled.

During an education session held Aug. 22 via Zoom on the transition, Mandi Cooley and Kevin Cook of Michigan’s CRA enforcement division mentioned “flexibility” several times regarding its implementation.

“It will be a flexible process, open to corrective action plans,” Cooley said, adding that business owners will “have some autonomy on how to address” noncompliance issues.

Cook said the CRA doesn’t anticipate a “flawless” transition, and that “accommodations” will be made. He also said a main goal is to have licensees “compliant at all times.”

CRA spokesperson David Harns has a similar take on the new plan.

“This will help increase efficiency and flexibility with scheduling. This transition will instill a need for businesses to further educate employees at all levels – not just their job functions as they do now, but also in compliance and understanding of the business requirements,” he said. “The goal of unannounced inspections is that licensees are compliant at all times and employees have a solid understanding of the regulations surrounding their place of work.”

Inspection costs are covered by licensing fees.

Getting ready

To get ready for the change, the CRA suggests owners of licensed cannabis-related businesses prepare on-site managers and other employees to handle inspections by knowing how to access required items such as employee backgrounds, standard operating procedures, logs, surveillance systems, certifications and METRC information — the state’s seed-to-sale monitoring system — and more. It’s also recommended that owners provide employees with checklists on inspections, available at the CRA website www.michigan.gov/cra.

The CRA is preparing for the new procedure by updating and streamlining inspection checklists, and creating documents to be sent out to businesses after an inspection, Cook said. Also, regulation officers will be reaching out to businesses that are low-staffed and/or open part-time to get a better understanding of when a surprise inspection should happen rather than arriving to find the place closed.

Cooley said the CRA “is working on the process” for what to do if a business isn’t open when an inspector shows up.

Further, business owners are urged to ask regulation officers for their CRA-issued photo IDs, and to contact the Regulation Office’s verification hotline with questions. An email blast will be distributing the hotline number only to licensees.

So far, Harns said, scheduled semi-annual inspections have shown a regulation compliance rate of approximately 93 percent, “not accounting for minor deficiencies found during the inspection which were remedied quickly.”

“All business types have their common issues,” he said. “Generally speaking, METRC tracking and identification – along with surveillance equipment issues – tend to be fairly common across the board.”

Non-compliance of “minor issues” such as standard operating procedures and labeling are typically resolved through re-inspection, Harns noted, and unlikely to be subjected to further investigation.

But for “more egregious noncompliance” such as deficiencies in METRC tracking/identification or not keeping 30 calendar days of surveillance footage, for example, an investigation can be expected. Fines or license revocation are possible based on what the investigation reveals, he said.

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A suspected drunk driver who reportedly fled police at speeds at 100 mph-plus on Telegraph Road, blew through red lights, crossed lanes of oncoming traffic, crashed his vehicle and then ran from officers is facing multiple charges, officials said.

Bloomfield Hills resident Justin Michael Luark, 31, is out of jail after posting a surety bond of $8,000 for the Aug. 17 alleged incident in Bloomfield Township. He’s charged with two felonies —  second-degree fleeing/eluding and resisting/obstructing — and two misdemeanors, operating while intoxicated and operating with no license. Further charges are possible pending analysis of suspected oxycodone allegedly found in his possession.

Police said Luark’s blood-alcohol concentration measured .153% after he was arrested.

According to Bloomfield Township police, officers spotted Luark in a Toyota Tacoma, swerving on northbound Telegraph Road north of Lone Pine Road, running red lights and traveling at a high rate of speed, then attempted a traffic stop shortly before 1 a.m. last Saturday. Luark reportedly crossed over onto the southbound lanes of Telegraph Road, drove into a ditch and crashed into a tree before leaving the vehicle on foot — ignoring orders to the ground from officers, police said.

After a brief pursuit on foot, police apprehended Luark and took him into custody.

Arraigned later that day, Luark is scheduled for his next court appearance on Aug. 29.

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A Madison Heights couple is accused of severely abusing a 6-year-old boy — including beating him repeatedly and stapling him to a wall — leading to his death on July 31.

The child’s mother, Elaina Rose Jennings, 25, and Daniel John Giacchina, 32, are charged with murder, first-degree child abuse and lying to a police officer for the slaying of Giovanni “Chulo” Jennings as announced Friday by Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald and Madison Heights Police Chief Brent LeMerise. As announced earlier this week, both are also charged with lying to a police officer and Giacchina is also charged with felon in possession of a firearm, felon in possession of ammunition and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

According to officials, Jennings called 911 shortly after 2:30 p.m. on July 30 to report that her child wasn’t breathing. Madison Heights police officers and a crew from the fire department responded to the home and found the little boy unresponsive with multiple injuries. He was transported to Ascension Macomb-Oakland Hospital and subsequently transferred to Children’s Hospital where he died the next day.

The couple was subsequently arrested.

It’s alleged Jennings and Giacchina severely abused and regularly beat the child, then conspired to falsely blame the injuries on someone who was last with the child — but the little boy had been left in the care of Giacchina, officials said.

“After spending hundreds of hours carefully sifting through the evidence in this case, what we found can only be described as horrific. Chulo was confined, beaten, and bound to the wall using a staple gun,” McDonald stated. “He was badly injured, but he was not taken for medical treatment because his mother knew that a medical examination would reveal the abuse.

“Every child deserves safety and security, not terror and abuse. I commend the diligent work of the Madison Heights Police Department. Together, we will continue to seek justice for Chulo, and will use every resource available to hold those responsible for his death accountable.”

Added LeMerise: “I am proud of the first responders who responded swiftly to the scene along with the investigators who worked around the clock alongside the Prosecutor’s Office to quickly obtain and review the evidence in this case. We remain focused on the victim and his family and loved ones. We will continue to work to provide justice for his tragic death.”

Jennings and Giacchina are in the Oakland County Jail, denied bond.

Their next court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 21, for a probable cause conference in 43rd District Court.

Detroiter accused of Farmington Hills shooting to have preliminary exam

A Detroiter who drowned in Oakland County after diving into a lake to save his coworker’s life has been posthumously honored as a hero.

Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard on Wednesday presented a citizen citation to Daileen Carter, the mother of Marsalis Quintin Carter, who died July 20 in a private lake in Rose Township. He was 20 years old.

The presentation took place at the sheriff’s headquarters in Pontiac.

“I wanted to take a moment to recognize the selfless and heroic act of her son who died saving the life of someone else,” Bouchard said. “While the fact that Marsalis gave his life saving a coworker may not diminish the family’s pain, it may give a measure of solace and meaning to his incredible sacrifice.”

According to the sheriff’s office, Marsalis Carter was part of a crew hired to help move a resident into another home who asked to go out on a boat on Taylor Lake with the owner to cool off with a swim during a break. While in the water, another crew member was using a pool noodle and struggled to stay afloat, so Marsalis, who was also in the water, helped him back to the boat. Then another crew member jumped in and began to struggle, the sheriff’s office said, so Marsalis re-entered the water and helped him back to the boat. But Marsalis, who was likely exhausted according to a witness, went underwater and didn’t resurface, the sheriff’s office said.

He was lost, despite attempts to save him, the sheriff’s office said.

After a 13-plus-hour search by dive teams from multiple counties, Carter’s body was recovered in approximately 300 feet of water, about 35 feet from shore, the sheriff’s office said.

A Waterford Township woman accused of killing a motorcyclist in a drunk driving crash in Pontiac last year has pleaded guilty as charged.

Jessica Lenore Kellar, 30, entered her plea this week in Oakland County Circuit Court on charges of operating while intoxicated causing death and operating while intoxicated with an occupant less than 16 years old. The Sept. 15, 2023 collision killed Kirt Stalker, 70, of White Lake Township.

Kellar reportedly had a 15-year-old child in the car with her at the time of the crash, which happened shortly before 8 a.m.

The crash happened at the intersection of East Huron Street and Woodward Avenue in Pontiac when Kellar, driving a pickup truck, turned left into the motorcycle as they both traveled east along the roadway. Investigators said Stalker, who was wearing a helmet, was thrown into the air and then hit.  He was pronounced dead at the scene.

As stated in his obituary, Stalker was the married father of two, stepfather of three and grandfather of 11.

Kellar is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 25 by Judge Mary Ellen Brennan. She faces up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. For now, she’s out on bond; conditions of bond include electronic tether monitoring, no driving and not entering establishments that serve or dispense alcohol.

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Case advances against Southfield woman accused of killing her friend’s child

Police: Teen suspected of stealing $100K in products from Oakland County cannabis store

The case against a Southfield woman accused of killing her friend’s young child in Detroit has advanced following a preliminary examination.

Iesha Harris, 30, is charged with felony murder and first-degree child abuse in connection with the death of 3-year-old Harmoni Henderson. It’s alleged Harris fatally assaulted the child while babysitting her at a home in the 15700 block of Southfield Road.

The child was privately transported to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead on March 17, officials said.

According to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, the child died from blunt force trauma, believed to have been caused by Harris.

Judge Kenneth King of 36th District Court bound the case over to the 3rd Judicial Circuit Court of Michigan for possible trial following a recent preliminary exam. Prior to the preliminary exam, Harris underwent a competency evaluation and was found to be competent to stand trial.

Arraignment in the higher court was scheduled for Aug. 7 before Judge Kelly Ramsey. Harris’s next court appearance is pending.

If convicted, Harris faces up to life in prison.

Police: Teen suspected of stealing $100K in products from Oakland County cannabis store

Officials: 6-year-old child’s death still under investigation

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A 15-year-old is accused of stealing marijuana and other items valued in excess of $100,000 from a Royal Oak cannabis store during a break-in last Saturday and is a suspect in other recent crimes, police said.

The teen is charged with breaking and entering a business — a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison — and third-degree fleeing or eluding police, a felony punishable by up to five years in prison for the Aug. 3 incident at the Gatsby Cannabis Company, located at 5130 Meijer Drive. He was taken into custody on Monday following an investigation, police said, and as of Wednesday was in Oakland County’s juvenile facility, Children’s Village.

According to Royal Oak police, a burglary alarm was activated shortly before 2 a.m. last Saturday at the store, and officers who responded to the scene found a smashed-out window on the east side of the building. They also noted the business had been ransacked. On Aug. 5, Royal Oak detectives, assisted by the Troy Police Special Investigations Unit, executed a search warrant at the suspect’s Royal Oak home, recovering more than $100,000 worth of stolen marijuana and cannabis-related merchandise, police said. The teen was then taken into custody.

“Our investigators quickly identified the suspect in this case and worked as a team to safely arrest this juvenile suspect and recover an astounding amount of evidence,” Police Chief Michael Moore stated in a news release.

Detectives also determined the teen is suspected of fleeing from a Royal Oak officer at high speeds prior to the cannabis store burglary, police said. The officer terminated the pursuit, police said. In addition, the teen is suspected in a July 26 home invasion in the 800 block of McClean Street in Royal Oak.

Teen accused of stabbing makes plea deal with prosecutors; charge reduced to misdemeanor

The case against a Detroiter accused of shooting an employee after complaining that he didn’t get enough guacamole with his order has been advanced to Oakland County Circuit Court for possible trial.

Aaron Michael Brown, 32, is charged with assault with intent to do great bodily harm, discharge of a firearm in or at a building causing injury and two counts of felony firearm for the April 5 incident at Chipotle Mexican Grill, 26147 Evergreen Rd. in Southfield.

The victim, age 21, was shot in the knee, police said.

The case was bound over to the higher court following a preliminary exam Aug. 2 in 46th District Court.

According to police, before the shooting Brown had complained to a female employee about the guacamole he received, called her a b**ch, went behind the counter and bagged his order. That led to a physical altercation with employees.

Brown then allegedly pulled out a handgun and fired it. He then left with his order.

Brown was arrested after a traffic stop near the restaurant, police said.

Arraignment in circuit court is scheduled for Aug. 12. Brown is out of custody after posting a $20,000 bond.

It’s been 13 years since James Dean Odle was found slain in Waterford Township, and his killer has not yet been found.

Crime Stoppers of Michigan continues to offer a cash reward of up to $2,500 for information that leads to an arrest in the case. A conviction is not required to receive the reward.

Tipsters remain anonymous.

According to Crime Stoppers: Odle was murdered shortly before 3 a.m. on July 31, 2011 while walking on South Lynn Street near Lakeview Street when the slaying occurred. He suspect was described as a black male with a thin build who exited a white vehicle, described as a GMC Acadia, Dodge Journey or Chrysler Pacifica, and shot Odle several times. The shooter was reportedly of medium height and wearing a black do-rag, black t-shirt and checkered shorts at the time. Odle collapsed in a nearby yard where he died from the gunshot wounds.

Odle was 28 years old when he was killed and the father of two.

To make an anonymous tip, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP or 1800speakup.org.

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Berkley-based attorney Randy Wallace has been appointed to the Michigan Court of Appeals, second district.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced the appointment Aug. 1 to fill a partial term following the resignation of Judge Deborah Servitto.  Wallace’s term starts Aug. 12 and will end Jan. 1, 2025.

Wallace currently works as an attorney and shareholder at Olsman, MacKenzie, Peacock & Wallace, P.C. in Berkley. Since 2004, he’s been an executive board member for the Michigan Association for Justice and also holds membership on the American Association for Justice, the Michigan Supreme Court’s Committee on Model Jury Instructions and the State Bar of Michigan Civil Procedure and Courts Committee. He also serves as a case evaluator for Oakland County Circuit Court’s alternative dispute resolution office.

“I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Governor Whitmer for giving me the opportunity to serve the people of the great state of Michigan on the Court of Appeals,” Wallace stated in a news release.  “I have spent years watching some of the finest jurists in our state decide cases in a manner that promotes equal access to justice for all, including now retired Michigan Supreme Court justices like Justice Bridget McCormack and Justice Marilyn Kelly, and now retired judges like Judge Elizabeth Gleicher and Judge Douglas Shapiro, just to name a few. One of my first jury trials was presided over by Judge Deborah Servitto, who was then a judge on the Macomb County Circuit Court, and who treated all the participants with the utmost respect. I will do my very best to follow the examples set by those esteemed members of the bench and I will work hard as a humble servant of the people of the State of Michigan.”

Wallace earned his Juris Doctor from Wayne State University Law School, where he worked as a student attorney at the Free Legal Aid Clinic. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Michigan.