Charges dismissed against ex-Michigan State Police sergeant in man's death
Charges against a former Michigan State Police detective sergeant have been dismissed in connection with the death of Samuel Sterling.
Former Detective Sgt. Brian Keely, of Grand Rapids, was charged with second-degree murder or, alternatively, involuntary manslaughter for allegedly hitting Sterling with his vehicle during a police chase in April 2024.
Sterling was taken to the hospital, where he died from his injuries. One month after the incident, Attorney General Dana Nessel announced the charges, saying they came after reviewing reports, bodycam footage and surveillance videos.
However, on Wednesday, Chief Judge Hala Jarbou of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan ruled in the dismissal, citing the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution, according to a news release.
According to the AG's office, the clause protects federal officers from state prosecution "so long as their actions were no more than were necessary and proper." Officials say the case was sent to federal court after Jarbou ruled that Keely was working as a federal officer on behalf of the U.S. Marshals at the time of the incident.
Nessel argued that while Keely worked under a federal agency, he remained a state police officer.
AG Nessel's full statement on case dismissal
"My Department issued these charges based on the facts and evidence in this case. After a thorough review of the extensive evidence before a state district court, this case was bound over for trial based on a judge's finding of probable cause that Keely illegally ended the life of Samuel Sterling. I stand by our arguments in that court, as well as those before the federal judge, that Keely was not acting reasonably under the circumstances, nor as a federal officer in a manner consistent with federal immunity from state prosecution.
"I am disappointed that the case's transfer to federal court ultimately resulted in its dismissal and am deeply concerned with the precedent it sets—that individuals deemed federal officers by federal authorities can commit lethal crimes against Michigan residents with impunity. Such a precedent is dangerous and fundamentally undermines the principles of justice and accountability our legal system is meant to uphold. Regrettably, the circumstances of the killing of Samuel Sterling were never presented to a jury. No one should be above the law, and my office remains committed to ensuring those who break it are held accountable.
"I am grateful for the determined, persistent work of my team on this difficult case and my heart breaks for the loved ones left behind by Mr. Sterling and the community who mourns him. This outcome is nothing short of a miscarriage of justice and my Department is considering our next steps."
Sterling's family filed a lawsuit in January 2025, claiming the incident highlights "systemic law enforcement failures."
In a statement on Wednesday, attorney Ven Johnson, representing the family, said, "We are deeply disappointed by the court's decision to dismiss the criminal charges against Sgt. Brian Keely. It sends a troubling message that a police officer can run over an unarmed man and avoid facing a criminal jury.
"Let me be clear: while this criminal case has been dismissed, our fight for civil justice is not. This only strengthens the resolve of my co-counsel, Ben Crump, and me to pursue every legal avenue in our civil case to hold Keely and all others involved accountable for the preventable death of Samuel Sterling. Samuel's family deserves answers and justice, and we will not stop until they get both."
The video above previously aired on Jan. 24, 2025.
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