The Michigan Supreme Court has agreed to hear arguments on whether the state’s felony murder sentencing standard is constitutional and what to do if it’s not.
In Michigan, people over 18 who is are of convicted of a felony such as armed robbery where someone is killed in the process are sentenced to life with no chance of parole.
In an order issued Friday, the court said the questions it will consider include whether life without parole for felony murder violates the Eighth Amendment, whether the state should require proof of malice or intent to commit murder in order to impose the sentence, and whether a decision might be applied retroactively.
The felony murder standard means prosecutors do not have to specifically prove malice or intent. If the court reverses that standard entirely or in part, it could affect the sentences of hundreds of inmates who’ve spent decades in prison.
Timothy Baughman with the Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan told the Michigan Public Radio Network the challenge to that standard raises difficult questions. He said there are hundreds of inmates serving life without parole in Michigan.
“Should we overrule that and apply it to everybody who’s convicted and still in prison and alive,” said Baughman, “and some of those, they’re not like the getaway drivers, there are some very vicious murderers.”
But attorney Deborah LaBelle with the American Civil Liberties Union said some of the people convicted under the standard are not the actual killers even if they were involved in the underlying felony.
She said Michigan’s felony murder law is very sweeping in that it treats convicted killers and accomplices the same way when it comes to sentencing.
“If someone dies at the hands of someone else and you were in any way involved with the felony, the crime surrounding the homicide, you get punished the exact same way as the person who committed the murder.”
If the Supreme Court overrules its almost 50-year-old precedent, it would also have to determine the remedy.
“What should we do?” LaBelle said. “Should people be resentenced? Should there be a term of years that we determine is appropriate? How do we handle this?”
The court has not set a date for oral arguments.
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DTE Energy says about 22,000 customers had no power this morning after severe thunderstorms Sunday night caused widespread damage in the lower peninsula. Consumers Energy reported 163,000 homes and businesses were without electricity as well. DTE estimated power would be returned to 95 percent of customers by the end of the day.
Monroe Streetscape Project breaks ground this week
The Greektown Neighborhood Partnership will be hosting a groundbreaking ceremony for the Monroe Streetscape Project on Wednesday, April 2. The project will focus on improving the safety and accessibility for pedestrians in the corridor. Improvements include wider sidewalks and outdoor café spaces, a flexible, curb-less roadway, and reduced lanes to slow traffic. The project is expected to be completed by the summer of 2026.
Career and education assistance program launches
The City of Pontiac is collaborating with Oakland80 to launch a series called Career and Education Navigators to assist residents in applying for financial assistance to attend college, find jobs, and get other services. Multiple resources will be available to job seekers and residents looking to further their education, including locating scholarships, financial assistance to pay for books, supplies, childcare and transportation. It will also include job seeking services.
The events are free and open to all Pontiac residents. The program kicked off today, March 31, in Pontiac City Hall and will take place every Monday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, visit pontiac.mi.us.
MDOT looking for snowplow designs
The Michigan Department of Transportation is accepting applications for 2025-2026 Paint the Plow Program. MDOT is looking for submissions from students on creative and original designs to be painted on snowplow blades in an effort to communicate safe winter driving practices for all Michigan residents.
The program is open to all Michigan high schools. The application deadline is Friday, May 16. Selected schools will be notified before the end of the 2025 school year and arrangements will be made for the delivery of their plow blade in the fall. Interested schools can visit michigan.gov/painttheplow for more information and to submit their design.
Easter Funfest Carnival planned for April 19
The Detroit Department of Recreation is hosting the Easter Funfest Carnival on Saturday April 19. The event will feature bike giveaways, an Easter basket giveaway, carnival rides and food trucks. There will also be an Easter egg hunt, Oompa Loompa sack race, face painting, pony rides and a petting zoo. The carnival will run between 1–5 p.m. at Lasky Recreation Center. For more information, visit their Facebook event page.
Detroit yard waste collection begins
Yard waste collection in Detroit begins today, March 31 and ends December 19. The curbside pickup will occur alongside weekly trash pickup. For more information, visit detroitmi.gov.
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Editor’s note:The above audio incorrectly states that the Detroit Department of Transportation is seeking $2 million budget increase to hire more bus drivers and replace old buses. The correct figure is $20 million.
Tonight on The Detroit Evening Report, we share the latest on the shooting at Corewell Health Beaumont Troy Hospital; a rally against cuts to Medicaid outside Michigan Congressmen John James’ office and more.
Police have arrested a man suspected of shooting a co-worker inside a parking garage at Corewell Health Beaumont Troy Hospital Thursday morning. Troy police say the shooting took place just after 7 a.m. The 25-year-old victim is in stable condition after being shot in the arm. The hospital, nearby schools and some roadways were locked down during the search.
Protesters say cuts to the federal portion of Medicaid could cost health care workers their jobs, and force nursing homes to close. Democratic Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib joined the rally — miles away from her own constituents — to argue that the votes of three or four of her Republican colleagues could save the insurance program.
“Because Medicaid cuts would devastate so many of my families in my district. And I know if John James could just join us to choose the people that elected him, not Trump or Elon Musk, and all of us will have his back if he chooses to do the right thing,” Tlaib said.
Congressional Republicans are considering changes in Medicaid to help cover the cost of President Trump’s planned tax cuts.
Auto industry braces for layoffs
Car dealers and UAW local leaders are bracing for possible layoffs as a result of the Trump Administration’s tariff war.
Inventory on car lots are high and consumer confidence is weakened as buyers contend with potential price increases. Many UAW leaders told the Detroit Free Press they are concerned the tariff war will disrupt production at plants. Last week, President Trump announced a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum imports from all countries, which will impact carmakers.
RenCen’s Tower 600 sold
The Renaissance Center’s Tower 600 was sold in a small auction Wednesday for $9.2 million. The winner is currently unknown.
The bidding started Monday at $2.75 million. The auction comes at a time when the future of the rest of the Renaissance Center is in limbo. Tower 600 has 334,000 square feet and is only 11% occupied.
DDOT seeks budget increase
The Detroit Department of Transportation is asking for a $20 million budget increase to hire more bus drivers and replace old buses. DDOT officials told city council they expect to hire 63 more drivers and replace 45 buses. The department is also looking to add or upgrade at least 60 shelters with solar lighting, USB charging ports, and improved access and benches. DDOT runs 169 buses in the morning and 179 in the afternoon. The department’s current budget is near $170 million.
Volunteers sought for Southwest Detroit care packages
The Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS) is holding an event on Saturday to collect and assemble care packages for the residents that were affected by the recent flood in Southwest Detroit. ACCESS will be accepting donations of items such as personal, feminine, and dental hygiene products; pillow and blankets, and non-perishable food items. The nonprofit is still looking for volunteers. The event will be held between noon and 2 p.m. at the ACCESS Headquarters Gym in Dearborn.
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A dispute between two employees of a Troy hospital led to a shooting on the property early Thursday morning that left one person injured.
Troy police confirmed on social media that the shooting occurred just after 7 a.m. in the parking garage on Corewell Health Beaumont Troy Hospital’s campus. The hospital was on lockdown for several hours and residents were asked to avoid the area while they pursued the suspect, who is now in custody.
In a statement, Corewell Health confirmed that the victim is in the emergency department receiving medical treatment.
Police believe the incident was targeted. More information will be released at a 1 p.m. press conference.
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A former employee of Marshall Mathers — aka entertainer Eminem — is named in a federal criminal complaint for allegedly stealing and selling some of his unreleased music.
Joseph Strange, 46, of Holly is charged with two counts of criminal infringement of a copyright and interstate transportation of stolen goods.
According to the criminal complaint, filed in U.S. District Court – Eastern District of Michigan, the FBI launched an investigation in January after employees of Mathers’ music studio in Ferndale reported finding a list of Mathers’ unreleased music — still in development — available for puchase on the Internet. The list was reportedly taken directly from a hard drive in Mathers’ Ferndale studio.
FBI tracked down multiple people who had bought the unreleased music who identified Strange as the seller, the complaint states. Strange reportedly worked for Mathers from approximately 2007 through 2021.
“This investigation underscores the FBI’s commitment to safeguarding artists’ intellectual property from exploitation by individuals seeking to profit illegally,” Cheyvoryea Gibson, special agent in charge of the FBI in Michigan, stated in a news release. “Thanks to the cooperation of Mathers Music Studio, FBI agents from the Oakland County Resident Agency were able to swiftly enforce federal laws and ensure Joseph Strange was held accountable for his actions.”
If convicted of the copyright infringement charge, Strange could be sentenced to up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The interstate transportation of stolen goods charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison/
“Protecting intellectual property from thieves is critical in safeguarding the exclusive rights of creators and protecting their original work from reproduction and distribution by individuals who seek to profit from the creative output of others,” Acting U.S. Attorney Julie Beck stated in the release.
The case is being investigated by special agents of the FBI Oakland County Resident Agency, and prosecuted by assistant U.S. attorneys Timothy Wyse and Alyse Wu.
Since taking office, President Donald Trump has signed a series of executive orders to dismantle transgender rights.
These moves are not surprising. Trump used ugly rhetoric on the campaign trail to target this small minority of people.
Transgender young people and adults account for less than 2% of the U.S. population. But advocates warn that attacking trans rights opens the door to rolling back other Americans’ rights.
A transgender person is someone whose sex assigned at birth is different from who they know they are on the inside, the Human Rights Campaign explains. That could include someone who’s medically transitioned, so their physical appearance aligns with their understanding of their gender. It also includes people who have not transitioned or who do not solely identify as male or female.
Still, sowing confusion about transgender people and dehumanizing them has been central to Trump’s political strategy.
Staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan Jay Kaplan joined The Metro to discuss why Trump is targeting this small minority of Americans, why attacks on transgender rights are relevant to everyone, and what the landscape in Michigan is like for LGBTQ people. Kaplan leads the LGBTQ Project at the Michigan ACLU.
Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
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A 47-year-old Clarkston man is facing charges for allegedly having “tens of thousands” of child pornography images — including some involving animals, officials said.
The complaint against Benjamin Guy Weeks, issued March 18 in 52-2 District Court, lists charges of three counts each of aggravated child sexually abusive activity and using a computer to commit a crime.
According to the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office, law enforcement confiscated approximately 35 hard drives, multiple thumb drives, CDs and computer devices from Weeks’ home containing tens of thousands of files showing child sexual abuse, including bestiality.
It’s believed Weeks was attempting to create a computer server to manage and share the files, the prosecutor’s office said.
“The scale of depravity uncovered in this case is shocking,” Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald said. “Behind every one of these images and videos is a child who was the victim of unspeakable abuse. I’m committed to aggressively prosecuting child pornography cases so we can protect the next child from becoming a victim.”
The court file shows the alleged crimes dating back to 2023. Jeff Wattrick, spokesperson for the prosecutor’s office, told The Oakland Press that the casa wasn’t turned over to the Oakland County prosecutor until this month and that the prosecutor’s office “moved quickly to file charges and authorize an arrest.”
Aggravated child sexually abusive activity is punishable by up to 25 years in prison and/or a $125,000 fine. Using a computer to commit a crime carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison and/or a $20,000 fine, possibly as a consecutive sentence, the prosecutor’s office said.
A Lake Orion was handed a lengthy prison sentence Tuesday for a fatal hit-and-run last year in Auburn Hills.
At a hearing in Oakland County Circuit Court, Judge Yasmine Poles sentenced 35-year-old Kenneth Briddnell Carroll to 25-60 years for the June 6, 2024 crash that killed Thomas Jerome Fisher, 68. The collision happened on Walton Boulevard near Perry Street in Auburn Hills, and also caused critical injuries to Carroll’s passenger.
According to police, Carroll fled after crashing a Kia Forte into a Ford F-150 pickup truck, trapping Fisher in the Ford F-150. Fisher was subsequently extricated and transported to an area hospital where he died, police said.
Auburn Hills Police Dept.
Kenneth Carroll
Moments before the crash, an Auburn Hills patrol officer had pursued the Kia after witnessing it speeding south on Lapeer Road and attempted a traffic stop, but the driver — later identified as Carroll — accelerated and fled, reportedly reaching speeds up to 88 mph. The officer reportedly chased the Kia for approximately a quarter mile before ending the pursuit. Further down the roadway, the officer discovered the collision, police said.
Carroll was arrested after a citizen reported seeing him in a wooded area approximately a half-mile from the crash site, police said. When he was arrested, Carroll was in possession of a controlled substance, police said.
In January, Carroll pleaded no contest to reckless driving causing death, reckless driving causing serious impairment of bodily function, fleeing and eluding, failing to stop after the crash, driving without a valid license and narcotics possession. For the drug charge, he was sentenced to the 284 days he already served in the Oakland County Jail. The jail credit was also applied to his sentence on the other charges.
A no contest plea is not an admission of guilt but is treated as such for sentencing purposes. It can also offer some liability protection in civil cases.
Carroll got an enhanced sentence due to him being a habitual offender. His criminal history includes convictions for aggravated domestic violence and probation violation.
Fisher’s obituary states he was the father of two, an accomplished musician and “a successful and premier interior painter” with his own business. He grew up in Birmingham.
Two Ypsilanti men were arrested over the weekend for trying to steal a vehicle after leading Southfield police on car chases, officials said.
Both have been charged, Southfield Police Chief Elvin Barren said Monday.
Tyree Pitts, 21, and James Harris, 18, both of Ypsilanti, were arraigned Friday in 46th District Court, the police chief and court records said.
Tyree Pitts (Photo courtesy of Southfield Police Department)James Harris (Photo courtesy of Southfield Police Department)
Barren announced their arrests and charges against them at a midday news conference Monday at police headquarters. He was joined by Southfield Deputy Police Chief Aaron Huguley, Southfield Deputy Police Chief Jeffrey Jagielski, and Southfield Police Lt. Mostapha Bzeih.
Pitts is charged with third-degree fleeing and eluding police, a 5-year felony, unlawful driving away of a motor vehicle, a 5-year felony, and receiving and concealing a stolen vehicle, also a 5-year felony.
A judge set his bond at $50,000 and scheduled his next court hearing for March 28.
Court records did not list an attorney for Pitts on Monday.
Barren said Pitts has prior convictions for assault with a dangerous weapon, breaking and entering, receiving and concealing stolen motor vehicles, felony assault, and malicious destruction of property.
Harris is charged with unlawful driving away of a motor vehicle and receiving and concealing a stolen vehicle, Barren said.
A judge set his bond at $1,500 and scheduled his next court hearing for March 28.
Court records did not list an attorney for Harris on Monday.
Barren said Harris does not have a documented criminal history.
Two other people were arrested in connection with the attempted theft, police said.
One, an 18-year-old Atlanta, Ga., man, was given a ticket for giving police officers a false name when questioned, they said.
The other, a 17-year-old Detroit resident, was processed and turned over to his parents, the chief said. The 17-year-old will be prosecuted in Wayne County Juvenile Court. Barren explained juveniles accused of crimes in Michigan are prosecuted in the counties of their residence not where the crimes allegedly happened.
He also said police continue to investigate and determine if any others may be charged in connection with the crime.
Authorities said the incident happened at about last Thursday in the 27000 block of Berkshire Drive near West Eleven Mile and Evergreen roads.
Barren said dispatchers received a 911 call at about 3:30 a.m. Thursday from the car’s owner. She reported her home’s security camera alerted her to a man trying to get inside her parked 2017 Dodge Charger, Barren said.
After checking the video, she told police she saw multiple suspects near her car and gave a description of them.
Officers arrived within minutes and saw a suspect run to get into a white 2015 Mazda sedan, according to the Southfield police chief. They then saw the Mazda and a green Ford Fusion that had been reported stolen earlier in the day in Southfield traveling one behind the other through the neighborhood.
“Based on the officers’ observations, it was apparent that both vehicles were involved and acting in concert with one another,” Barren said. “Both vehicles were observed leaving the subdivision at the same time. Both vehicles turned in unison onto northbound Evergreen Road.”
The chief said the Ford was in front with the Mazda behind it. Officers followed the vehicles as they reached Villa Pointe Condominiums where they drove off in separate directions, he said.
Officers following the Ford shone their vehicle’s spotlight on the car and saw multiple occupants inside wearing masks.
“The Ford Fusion immediately accelerated away from officers,” Barren said. “As the driver fled, he drove over grass, and rocks, and the vehicle became disabled. The occupants got out and ran.”
Simultaneously, officers were pursuing the Mazda. Barren said the car turned onto northbound Evergreen Road, made an abrupt turn at Kingswood Place Condominiums, and continued to flee.
Police then used a so-called PIT Maneuver — using a police car to strike a fleeing vehicle’s rear quarter panel — to disable it, officials said.
“That resulted in the vehicle spinning out and becoming disabled,” Barren said.
He said the occupants remained in the car until officers ordered them out and took them into custody. Police later identified the driver as Pitts and his front seat passenger as Harris, the chief said.
No injuries were reported, he added.
On Monday, Southfield police released the 911 call reporting the attempted car theft as well as officers’ dash cam video of one of the car chases and body camera footage of the arrest of a couple of suspects.
Car thefts have become such a growing problem for law enforcement and car owners, that the Michigan Attorney General’s Office said last month it was expanding its auto insurance fraud task force to include stolen vehicles as thefts spike in the state.
“Southeast Michigan is experiencing a crisis when it comes to individuals stealing vehicles,” Barren said. “It’s also a national crisis. It’s a multi-million dollar industry and that’s what keeps individuals committing these crimes.”
Barren said the city of Southfield is attractive for car thieves because of the three freeways — Interstate 696, the Lodge and the Southfield — that run through it. It also has a lot of hotels and apartment complexes, he added.
“It can become a target for individuals who are planning auto theft crimes because the cars are on display,” he said.
Southfield police officers and the task force have arrested 43 auto theft suspects since October 2024, the chief said. Southfield police have arrested 21 people, which resulted in 47 felony charges so far in 2025, he said.
The Southfield Police Department houses the Oakland County Auto Theft Task Force, which includes officers from Oakland County Sheriff’s Office and the Southfield, Hazel Park, Farmington Hills and Detroit police agencies.
Pitts and Harris are the latest Michigan residents to be accused of auto theft.
Last week, a Warren man was charged with conducting a criminal enterprise, a 20-year felony, after authorities linked him to an alleged auto theft ring that targeted Cadillacs in a carmaker’s lot.
Earlier this month, three Detroit men were ordered to stand trial for allegedly being part of a ring that stole hundreds of vehicles in southeast Michigan.
Last month, two Detroit were charged for allegedly being part of an auto theft ring that targeted dealerships in Macomb, Oakland, and Genesee counties.
cramirez@detroitnews.com
Mugshots and shows as Elvin Barren, Southfield's police chief, talks during a press conference on Monday about the arrests of two men from Ypsilanti after an attempted car theft. (David Guralnick, The Detroit News)
A 19-year-old Southfield man accused of leading Berkley police on a car chase Wednesday while carrying a concealed weapon has been charged.
Cameron Scott has also been banned from entering the cities of Berkley and Royal Oak by a judge, officials said.
Scott was arraigned Thursday in 44th District Court in Royal Oak, according to court records. He is charged with third-degree fleeing police, carrying a concealed weapon, and driving with a suspended license.
A judge set his bond at $11,000 and scheduled his next court hearing for next Friday, records said.
Police said the judge also prohibited Scott from entering the cities of Berkley and Royal Oak except for court purposes.
Scott was arraigned Thursday in 44th District Court in Royal Oak, according to court records. He is charged with third-degree fleeing police, carrying a concealed weapon, and driving with a suspended license.
A judge set his bond at $11,000 and scheduled his next court hearing for next Friday, records said.
Police said the judge also prohibited Scott from entering the cities of Berkley and Royal Oak except for court purposes.
Berkley police said officers on Wednesday tried to pull a white Ford Fusion over for a traffic stop near 12 Mile Road and Coolidge Highway.
They said the driver refused to stop and continued to speed south towards 11 Mile. Officers gave chase.
Authorities said shortly after the chase began, the driver tossed a firearm from the car. Police boxed in the vehicle and arrested the driver, later identified as Scott.
Berkley police also released dash camera video of the chase.
Two Venezuelan nationals, one of whom is an alleged Tren de Aragua gang member accused of multiple crimes in Colorado, are in police custody after an attempted “snatch-and-grab” theft this week from an Auburn Hills clothing store, authorities said.
The incident started at 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, when an Auburn Hills police officer was at the Nordstrom Rack store at the Great Lakes Crossing Outlet mall following up on an unrelated matter, Auburn Hills Deputy Chief Scott McGraw said Friday.
“The officer saw three males running through the store grabbing handfuls of merchandise off the shelves, so he chased them,” McGraw said.
During the foot pursuit, the officer radioed for help, and Auburn Hills Police set up a perimeter around the area, the deputy police chief said.
“With help of an Oakland County Sheriff’s K-9 unit, we were able to find two of the men hiding in a subdivision across the road from the mall,” McGraw said. “We think the third man must’ve gotten away in a vehicle.
“The men were interviewed and fingerprinted, and they didn’t speak English well,” McGraw said. “None of the names they provided came back with a valid identification. Typically, when that happens, we’ll contact Border Patrol. They told us both men were in the country illegally.”
McGraw said Auburn Hills Police turned the two men over to Border Patrol agents.
Federal officials said one of the men was a gang member who was wanted for several crimes in Colorado.
“Yesterday, in Detroit, MI, (U.S. Border Patrol) agents and Auburn Hills PD responded to a shoplifting call that escalated into the takedown of a dangerous fugitive,” U.S. Border Patrol Chief Michael W. Banks wrote in a Thursday X post. “A Venezuelan national wanted for kidnapping and torture in Colorado and is linked to the notorious Tren de Aragua gang was taken into custody. He is now facing charges (of) … willfully refusing to depart the U.S.”
The suspect was not identified. Banks posted photos on X showing the man being arrested, although his face was blurred.
The U.S. Border Patrol Detroit Sector said in a Facebook post Wednesday that the man has a felony warrant out of Arapahoe, Colorado, for kidnapping-sex offense/robbery, aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon/intent to kill, burglary of a dwelling, extortion, felony menacing, and committing a violent crime with a weapon.
Border Patrol spokesman Youssef Fawaz said in an email: “For privacy reasons, we do not comment on ongoing cases.”
Last month, President Donald Trump formally designated Tren de Aragua, MS 13 and other gangs as “foreign terrorist organizations,” carrying out a Jan. 20 executive order.
According to a Wednesday Facebook post by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol’s Office of Field Operations, “the Detroit Field Office has apprehended more than 20 Tren de Aragua gang members or affiliates at ports of entry across Michigan.”
A crackdown on illegal immigration by the Trump Administration has led to a spike in cases filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern Court of Michigan, The Detroit News reported last week. Those arrested included a Venezuelan man living in Detroit with alleged ties to the Tren de Aragua gang.
Last month, Border Patrol agents at the Sault Ste. Marie Station arrested a suspected Tren De Aragua gang member during a traffic stop.
McGraw said there’s been a rash of “smash-and-grab” and “snatch-and-grab” thefts in Oakland County recently, including a 2023 incident in which four Chilean nationals who were in the U.S. with temporary visas were charged with stealing jewelry from multiple locations, including the Great Lakes Crossing mall.
“It happens more often than people know,’ McGraw said. “A lot of stores don’t bother prosecuting, or don’t call us, it happens so often. I wouldn’t say it’s an everyday occurrence, but it’s happening more and more.”
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The Michigan Supreme Court announced its justices have selected a new chief justice with the upcoming departure of the current incumbent.
The justices unanimously selected Megan Cavanagh to succeed Elizabeth Clement when she steps down, according to a Thursday announcement from the court. In February, Clement announced her intention to retire from the court before the end of April.
“The Court decided to make the choice now to ensure that the transition will be as smooth as possible and to confirm that our commitment to the path the Court is on will not waver,” Cavanagh said in a statement.
Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has the opportunity to appoint a justice to fill Clement’s vacancy and create a 6-1 majority of Democratic-backed justices. Whoever is appointed must run for retention in 2026 for a full eight-year term.
Michigan’s justices are technically nonpartisan, but they are nominated by state parties or appointed by the governor in the case of a vacancy. The court currently has a 5-2 majority of justices backed by Democrats after picking up a seat in the November election.
Cavanagh, backed by Democrats, narrowly beat out an incumbent justice in 2018. She is up for another term in 2026.
Clement was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2017 by Republican Gov. Rick Snyder. She is leaving to join the National Center for State Courts as president.
“I believe strongly that collaboration and cooperation are the keys to building public trust in our branch of government,” Cavanagh said.
FILE - Megan Cavanagh, a candidate for the Michigan Supreme Court, speaks during a rally in Detroit, Friday, Oct. 26, 2018. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, FIle)
Grounding wires, or safety straps worn around a wrist to prevent static electricity inside a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, were found inside a “junk drawer” at a Troy medical facility where a chamber exploded, killing a boy, and could’ve saved the child’s life, according to testimony by a Troy police detective.
A transcript of Det. Danielle Trigger’s testimony to 52-4 District Court Magistrate Elizabeth Chiappelli, given March 7, sheds light on the Jan. 31 explosion at the Oxford Center. Thomas Cooper, 5, of Royal Oak was inside the hyperbaric chamber and died when it exploded.
Thomas on his 36th of 40 treatments in the hyperbaric chamber, which creates a pressurized environment of pure oxygen. His mother, standing nearby, burned her arms trying to rescue her son. Police have not revealed what the boy was being treated for.
CCTV footage of the oxygen chamber gave police insight into what preceded the tragedy: Cooper lay in the chamber wearing pajamas and holding a gray blanket. His head rested on a pillow with a patterned pillowcase, according to March 7 transcripts.
“Cooper is moving around within the chamber, moving the blanket and sheet around with him. He rolls onto his side and pulls his knee up towards his chest, which results in a visible ignition,” Trigger said. “The chamber immediately begins to burn internally and in what could only be described as a fireball, ultimately killing Thomas Cooper. At the time of the initial ignition to the time the inside of the chamber is fully engulfed in flames, killing Cooper, is approximately three seconds.”
Police found the grounding wrist straps in a “junk drawer” in the facility’s laundry room, Trigger said. She described the cords as oxidized, like they hadn’t been used or moved for an extended period. They also found a multimeter in the drawer, which is used to test grounding, Trigger said.
“The multimeter was still in the bag with the caps on both ends of the cords and the cords appeared to have never been unraveled, which was consistent with it never having been utilized to test grounding,” Trigger said.
Tamela Peterson, the Oxford Center’s owner and CEO, was arraigned Tuesday in 52-4 District Court on second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter charges, as was Gary Marken, the facility’s primary manager, and safety director Jeffrey Mosteller. If bound over for a trial, a jury will decide where either charge fits the defendants’ conduct.
Aleta Moffitt, the operator of the hyperbaric chamber that exploded, was charged with involuntary manslaughter and intentionally placing false information on a medical record. All four pleaded not guilty.
Second degree murder is punishable by up to life in prison, while involuntary manslaughter can result in a sentence of up to 15 years behind bars.
The Michigan Attorney General’s office, which filed the charges, has accused the Oxford Center’s CEO and employees of disregarding safety protocols and using the chamber in ways it wasn’t intended to be used. The Oxford Center has said the “safety and well-being of the children we serve is our highest priority.”
Moffitt’s lawyer Ellen K. Michaels said Thursday Moffitt was an hourly worker at the Oxford Center who was adhering to the corporate policies presented to her by the center’s decision-makers.
“Everything that has been presented to the court to this point are allegations, not facts, not evidence,” Michaels said in a Thursday statement. “We look forward to reviewing the information that will be given to the defense through the discovery process and performing our own investigation. We believe in letting this process unfold.”
No grounding wire
Investigators made copies of hyperbaric chamber maintenance and service records at the scene and learned that the chamber that exploded was from 2013, while the other two in the facility were only a few years old, Trigger said. They also found a manual showing a wrist strap that patients should use when receiving treatment in the chamber to ground them. CCTV footage showed that Cooper was not wearing one, Trigger said.
“Photos taken of the scene at the time that the incident occurred were also re-reviewed,” Trigger said. “I observed what appeared to be a grounding wire for the chamber involved in the incident was wrapped in electrical tape and was clearly in worse condition or inconsistent with the other chambers in the room.”
The other patient receiving treatment at the time of the explosion and previous patients and employees at the Oxford Center all told police that a grounding wire had never been used in their hyperbaric treatments there, Trigger said. Employees who expressed concern to Peterson, Mosteller, and Marken about this policy were told that grounding wrist straps were not necessary, she added.
Police also found that starting in 2019, the Oxford Center removed items related to checking the chamber and patient grounding from daily and weekly checklists performed on the chambers.
Representatives from Sechrist, the hyperbaric chamber’s manufacturer, were shown a photo of the chamber that exploded and the electrical tape wrapped around the grounding wire.
“Sechrist personnel advised that they would have never repaired a wire in that way,” Trigger said. “They further advised that had a wire been repaired by an outside electrician, they would have had to tag out the chamber as being unusable. They would then have had to return to the location to inspect the work in the chamber before it could be used again. That did not occur.”
Trigger also claimed that one previous Oxford Center employee told her superiors she would no longer administer hyperbaric treatments due to the lack of safety practices and was fired.
The police consulted with two industry experts with “decades of experience in hyperbaric oxygen treatments,” according to Trigger. They also asked hyperbaric facilities at multiple hospitals and a privately run facility for insight into safety protocols, she said.
“The experts were able to determine, based on their opinion, that had Cooper been wearing the grounding wrist strap, he would still be alive,” Trigger said.
Mosteller told Trigger in an interview that Peterson had advised him that grounding straps were not necessary and said he performed his own testing to “convince himself to agree with that theory,” the detective said.
“Mosteller indicated that he would occasionally check the chamber grounding, but it was not done regularly,” Trigger said. “Employees were both advised of and shown an ‘experiment,’ that Jeff Mosteller had conducted that he felt made the grounding wrist straps unnecessary in order to justify not using them.”
At her Tuesday arraignment, Peterson’s attorney Gerald Gleeson said her parents both used the facility’s hyperbaric chambers, discounting the idea that she was operating the machines with “reckless abandon.”
Keeping the chambers full
Hyperbaric chambers are approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat 13 conditions, ranging from decompression sickness to severe burns. The Oxford Center advertises their use for treatment of over 90 different conditions, including Alzheimer’s Disease and diabetes.
Upon reviewing Peterson’s cellphone and laptop, police found messages in which people ask whether the company was promoting hyperbaric treatments for erectile dysfunction, Trigger said.
“Peterson responds stating, ‘Whatever gets bodies in those chambers, lol,’ ” the detective said.
Police also found messages containing still photos from CCTV footage of Cooper burning in the chamber.
“In the message exchange along with those photos, she stated something to the effect of, ‘If my leg was on fire, I would at least try to hit it and put it out. He just laid there and did nothing,'” Trigger said.
When police attempted to execute a search warrant for Peterson’s cellular devices and laptops at the Brighton facility, she initially ran from investigators, Trigger said. She also allegedly told investigators that she’d had her son wipe her laptop days after the explosion, Trigger said.
“Conversations with investigators at the attorney general’s office made Troy investigators aware that the CEO of the company, Tamela Peterson, along with her IT personnel had a history of tampering with and/or destroying evidence, specifically CCTV footage and records related to the investigation that the AG’s office had previously been conducting,” Trigger said.
Investigators observed nine inconsistencies between internally recorded time stamps for Cooper’s treatments provided by Peterson’s attorney and CCTV footage of the treatments, Trigger said.
Cooper’s records that police recovered from the facility show that on the day of the explosion he continued to receive treatment after the fire occurred and he had died.
Rolling back machines
Two previous employees told police they observed Marken manually manipulating the hyperbaric chamber’s cycle counters, which measure the lifespan of the machine, Trigger said.
“They reported that they had personally observed Marken using a screwdriver to remove the panel from the side of the chamber, remove the cycle counter, and roll back the number in order to make the cycle count look lower and to extend the life of the chamber,” the Troy detective said. “They advised that they were confident that this was likely done at the direction of Peterson due to her level of involvement in the ongoings of the company.”
Previous employees also told police that Marken was Peterson’s “muscle” and they were “one and the same,” Trigger said.
Marken’s attorney Raymond Cassar said at his arraignment that he had not been to the Oxford Center facility in Troy in over three years.
“I don’t know where the information is coming from that he is rolling back any of these things, but I can tell you that we’re confident he hasn’t been to that facility because he worked at the Brighton facility,” Cassar said Tuesday.
“They reported that they had personally observed Marken using a screwdriver to remove the panel from the side of the chamber, remove the cycle counter, and roll back the number in order to make the cycle count look lower and to extend the life of the chamber,” the Troy detective said. “They advised that they were confident that this was likely done at the direction of Peterson due to her level of involvement in the ongoings of the company.”
Previous employees also told police that Marken was Peterson’s “muscle” and they were “one and the same,” Trigger said.
Marken’s attorney Raymond Cassar said at his arraignment that he had not been to the Oxford Center facility in Troy in over three years.
“I don’t know where the information is coming from that he is rolling back any of these things, but I can tell you that we’re confident he hasn’t been to that facility because he worked at the Brighton facility,” Cassar said Tuesday.
Safety and clothing guidelines
The National Fire Protection Association’s guidelines for hyperbaric chambers indicate that there should be a safety pause before a patient enters one to check that the clothing they wear is 100% cotton and that they don’t have any lotions or medical patches on, Trigger said. CCTV footage of Cooper’s entire visit shows that this did not occur, she said.
The experts that police consulted with also advised that a physician is required on scene for hyperbaric oxygen treatments, although one was not present for Cooper’s treatment, Trigger said. Of the defendants, Mosteller is the only one with a current certification to administer the treatments and none are physicians or nurses, she added.
While on scene at the Oxford Center in Troy, the experts noted that pillows inside the chambers were filled with 100% polyester, which is not allowed inside them, partially due to fire risk, Trigger said. The disclosure forms and waivers that patients and parents signed did not mention the risks of fire or death.
hmackay@detroitnews.com
Defendant Tami Peterson stands during her arraignment Tuesday, March 11, 2025, on charges related to the death of a 5-year-old boy inside a hyperbaric chamber in Troy. (Katy Kildee, The Detroit News)
A 24-year-old Pontiac man is in police custody, accused of stabbing a woman multiple times Monday night allegedly because she had worn his clothing.
According to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, deputies spoke to the woman at an area hospital’s emergency department where she had gone for treatment of multiple stab wounds. The woman, a 25-year-old Pontiac resident, reportedly told deputies she had been stabbed during a fight over her wearing the suspect’s clothes.
Based on further information from the woman and a witness who reportedly had driven the woman to the hospital, deputies went to a residence in the 100 block of Cherry Hill Drive in North Hills Farms housing complex to confront the suspect, the sheriff’s office said.
As stated in the deputies’ report: “Initially, the suspect refused to answer the door, but after continued announcements of law enforcement presence and a secure perimeter being set, the individual ultimately surrendered to deputies without further incident. Another male was located inside of the home and taken into custody as well for investigative follow up.”
Charges are pending for the suspect, who’s held in the Oakland County Jail.
The Pontiac woman facing felonies for allegedly abandoning her three children to live in a filth-ridden home for years has been charged with additional crimes.
As announced Tuesday by the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office, three counts of welfare fraud are filed against Kelli Bryant, in addition to the three charges of first-degree child abuse filed against her last month.
Bryant, 34, is accused of collecting $29,397 from January 2022 through February 2025 in support payments by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services while the children were living alone. It’s alleged Bryant abandoned the children in 2020 or 2021.
The prosecutor’s office said a review of Bryant’s MDHHS payments showed the overpayment, leading to the charges.
Prosecutor Karen McDonald said the alleged fraud indicates Bryant stole from her children.
“The defendant appears to have effectively abandoned her children while collecting their public assistance,” McDonald stated in a news release. “This crime is, first and foremost, a theft from Kelli Bryant’s children. These resources were intended to ensure they had the basic necessities denied to them. The children deserved better.”
Welfare fraud more than $500 is punishable by up to four years in prison and/or a $5,000 fine. For the first-degree child abuse charges, Bryant faces up to life in prison if convicted.
The case against Bryant unfolded in February after deputies were called to a residence on Lydia Lane in the Stonegate Pointe townhomes for a welfare check and found Bryant’s children, a 15-year-old boy and his sisters, ages 13 and 12, hiding inside. The townhome was filled with large piles of garbage, mold and human waste throughout, had an overflowing toilet and a feces-filled bathtub, officials said. It was described as “uninhabitable.”
A view from inside the townhome, showing large amounts of debris with garbage piled as high as 4 feet in some rooms, and mold and human waste found throughout (photo provided by Oakland Couny Sheriff’s Office)
When rescued, the girls were covered in feces, and all three children had matted hair and toenails several inches long making it difficult to walk, officials said.
Bryant had reportedly been arranging for food to be dropped off at the home each week, but toilet paper, soap and hygiene products were never provided, officials said. The children, who’ve since been placed with relatives, hadn’t gone to school for years.
Bryant is held in the Oakland County Jail, with bond set at $50,000 — recently reduced from the $250 million bond set at her Feb. 20 arraignment for the child abuse charges.
He filed a “Chief James Craig for Mayor” candidate committee on Monday, allowing him to collect donations for the August primary.
Craig was appointed as the 42nd Chief of Police in 2013. Serving in the role during the 2020 Black Lives Matter demonstrations, the department was scrutinized for excessive force against protestors — accused of using tear gas, pepper spray, rubber bullets, mass arrests and more without probable cause. The protestors ended up filing a lawsuit which resulted in a $1 million settlement with the city.
Craig joins a seemingly ever-growing list of candidates, including Mega-church pastor Solomon Kinloch Jr., City Council President Mary Sheffield, City Councilman Fred Durhal III, former Michigan House Speaker Joe Tate, nonprofit CEO Saunteel Jenkins, Joel Haashiim and Jonathan Barlow, who are both local businessmen, and attorney Todd Perkins.
Other headlines for Friday, March 7, 2025:
The Detroit Fire Department is looking to educate residents on fire safety at an upcoming Safety Series Webinar, taking place virtually at 6 p.m. March 12.
Women in Robotics Michigan is hosting an informal gathering of women interested in robotics at 10 a.m. Sunday, March 16, at Michigan Central. Organizers say it’s an opportunity to network, share ideas, and learn from others in a relaxed setting.
Do you have a community story we should tell? Let us know in an email at detroiteveningreport@wdet.org.
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Officers had been sent to the Holiday Inn Express on Baldwin Road at 10:45 p.m. Friday, March 7, after a report of a possible domestic violence.
“Officers arrived on the scene and heard two gunshots while in the hallway approaching the room,” Auburn Hills police posted on Facebook. “Officers immediately entered the room and found a 34-year-old white female deceased, a 33-year-old white male deceased, and a 3-year-old white female unharmed.”
Early investigation leads police to believe the man, a Vassar resident, shot the woman, a Saginaw resident, and then shot himself, officials said.
“Out of an abundance of caution, the (girl) was taken to an area hospital and later released to a family member,” police said.
If anyone witnessed the pair or has information about them or what happened, they are asked to call police at 248-370-9460.
Police described the situation as “an isolated incident between the two deceased individuals; no one else was injured or involved in the altercation.”
Police said they would not immediately release their named.
The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office crime lab assisted, and the Oakland County Medical Examiner’s Office will conduct autopsies.
A Delta Air Lines landing at Wayne County Detroit Metropolitan Airport was more problematic than anticipated after the pilot was forced to abort an attempt to land.
The plane did have a safe landing on the second attempt.
According to a statement from the airline, Delta flight 1648 arrived at Metro Airport Thursday evening from Denver.
A spokeswoman did not include the number of passengers on the flight in the statement.
The statement said the pilot was instructed by air traffic control to execute a “go-around procedure.”
It did not, however, explain what a go-around procedure is and why it was necessary.
A request for a more detailed explanation for the abrupt procedure was made, but one has not yet been provided.
It appears the plane looped around, made another approach and was able to land without interference.
If you are nervous about flying right now, you’re likely not alone.
The last two months have been marked by a string of airplane crashes and incidents. In January, an American Airlines aircraft collided with a U.S. Army Blackhawk helicopter at Reagan Washington National Airport. All 67 people on both aircraft died.
Two days later, a MEDEVAC jet nosedived onto a busy Philadelphia street. The plane exploded and seven people died.
Then, in Toronto, a Delta aircraft crashed and flipped. It skidded down the tarmac upside down before coming to a stop. There were no fatalities, but the crash left 21 people injured.
These are just some recent high-profile incidents that have captured headlines and heightened people’s anxieties about flying.
According to data from the National Transportation Safety Board, 19 fatal accidents have occurred in the skies this year. Those numbers are lower than those for the same periods in 2024 and 2023.
But, it’s hard not to feel some apprehension after hearing about the Washington D.C. mid-air collision of a commercial plane and a U.S. Army helicopter.
These recent incidents have renewed calls for fixing staffing and outdated technology issues in aviation. During a congressional hearing on Tuesday, leaders of aviation safety and air traffic control associations urged Congress to help fix the staffing issues.
They also pointed to Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) firing around 400 Federal Aviation Administration employees. David Spero, president of Professional Aviation Safety Specialists, said the firings demoralize the workforce and jeopardize airline safety.
So today on The Metro, we’re looking at the state of American aviation — what needs to improve and how.
Guests:
Daniel Bubb: Former airline pilot, aviation historian and professor of history and politics at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Todd Yeary: Former air traffic control specialist with the Federal Aviation Administration. He was in that role during the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.
Use the media player above to listen to the full conversation.
More headlines from The Metro on March 5, 2025:
Michigan Democratic Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin addressed the Democrats following President Trump’s speech to Congress on Tuesday. She criticized Trump for helping wealthy people and raising prices. Slotkin also invited Andrew Lennox, a veteran who was recently fired from the Ann Arbor Veterans Affairs office, to join her. Before that announcement, The Metro spoke with Lennox to explore the consequences of his firing and what he makes of Trump’s actions thus far.
It’s official — U.S. tariffs on Canada and Mexico are in place. President Trump enacted 25% tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico. The tariffs will affect broad swaths of the U.S. economy, but the auto industries in southeast Michigan and Ontario are expected to be hit especially hard. We look at the impacts with John Irwin, a reporter for the Automotive News, where he covers suppliers, electric vehicles and trade policy.
InsideOut Literary Arts is presenting its third annual Detroit Youth Poetry Con on Saturday, March 15. The day-long event will allow teen poets to participate in writing workshops and community-building activities and share their work with peers and seasoned writers. To share more about the event, InsideOut Literary Arts Executive Director Suma Karaman and Citywide Poets Coordinator Justin Rogers joined the show.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.
Trusted, accurate, up-to-date.
WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today. Donate today »
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