Latest news with #52-4DistrictCourt
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Complaint: Oakland County Judge Kirsten Nielsen Hartig created 'climate of fear'
This is a breaking news story and will be updated. An Oakland County district court judge is facing a public misconduct complaint with accusations that she failed for months to produce a report on a psychological exam she underwent, bullied court staff, created a climate of fear and improperly dismissed cases. Judge Kirsten Nielsen Hartig of 52-4 District Court in Troy was formally accused in a complaint announced June 4 by the Judicial Tenure Commission, the state's judicial oversight body. The complaint is the first step in a court-like process, after which the Michigan Supreme Court could decide to suspend or remove a judge, at the most severe. Hartig could not immediately be reached for comment, but a spokesperson, Daniel Cherrin of Royal Oak-based public affairs and communications firm North Coast Strategies, issued a statement on her behalf, saying the judge respects the 'important role' of the commission and has patiently waited for the chance to address the allegations against her. 'After years of inquiry, the Commission has produced a complaint based on disputed claims and a flawed process," he said in the statement, later adding: "The public deserves confidence in both the judiciary and its oversight. That confidence depends on transparency grounded in fact, not fiction. 'Judge Hartig has served the public and the bench for more than a decade with integrity, transparency, and a commitment to justice. The Commission is expected to do the same.' Hartig has 14 days to issue a formal response to the commission. A public complaint itself is a rarity for the tenure commission. Even when judges are found to be at fault, their misconduct cases are most often resolved behind closed doors. The process can also take years. Hartig, however, is the third Michigan judge in recent months to have a formal, public complaint issued against them. The 52-4 District Court handles cases in Troy and Clawson. More: Taylor judge called chief judge names, flipped off security cameras, complaint says The chief judge of Hartig's court ordered that she be restricted to civil, landlord-tenant and small claims cases as of May 27. Following the chief judge's order but before the announcement by the commission, Bill Mullan, public information officer for Oakland County, said in an email that it would let the order speak for itself. "The order was issued to ensure fairness in the courtroom," Mullan said at the time. "We refer any future questions to the Judicial Tenure Commission." Hartig had been under scrutiny by the commission in recent years, the Free Press previously reported. A former chief judge asked the commission to investigate in 2020, according to a filing in federal court by the county amid a lawsuit by a former court administrator. The court administrator in the lawsuit claimed she had been wrongfully terminated after making complaints about Hartig mistreating staff and the public. It came after she cooperated with the commission amid interviews of more than 40 people, she said in the lawsuit. More: Troy court worker who claimed judge was bully, abusive accepts $100K secret settlement More: 'No teeth': Cases of 2 embattled Michigan judges highlight concerns with accountability More: Visitors from Norway, fan pages, gifts: How judges' online fame affects Michigan courts Though Hartig denied the allegations of creating a hostile work environment and said the administrator was doing a poor job, the county settled the lawsuit in 2023 with a $100,000 payout. Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald also sparred with the judge in recent years, accusing her in 2022 of dismissing criminal cases because of a grudge with prosecutors regarding scheduling. In a court filing, the prosecutor's office said Hartig was frequently reversed on appeal and 'has a long-standing practice of seeking to impose her own personal view of what the law should be via the criminal cases before her.' Hartig, at the time, said prosecutors knew she wanted them to appear in person, and they did not heed the law. "They didn't do their job and now they'd like to blame the judge for enforcing the law,' she said. Hartig was first elected to the bench in 2010 and was elected to her third six-year term in November 2022. Reporter Dave Boucher contributed to this story. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Complaint: Oakland County Judge Hartig created 'climate of fear'
CBS News
29-04-2025
- CBS News
Michigan man accused of stealing dog, then attempting to sell it to actual owner
Farmington Hills deer decision; Trump to speak in Warren; Pistons in playoffs; and more top stories. Farmington Hills deer decision; Trump to speak in Warren; Pistons in playoffs; and more top stories. Farmington Hills deer decision; Trump to speak in Warren; Pistons in playoffs; and more top stories. Ownership and custody of a brindle-colored French bulldog in Michigan have been resolved, after police say a potential sale of the dog by a suspected thief was thwarted. Troy Police Department detailed the initial mixup and the criminal investigation that resulted in a report issued Tuesday. Police got involved on April 22 when the dog's owner and the dog's finder arrived at the police station and asked to speak with an officer. The finder said she discovered the French bulldog in her backyard earlier in the day. She then posted a photo of the dog to Facebook in an attempt to identify and locate the owner. A man then contacted her on the social platform, claiming to be the dog's owner. He provided photos and other information that led her to believe that story, police said, and she released the dog to him. Later in the day, the dog's actual owners contacted her. Once the mix-up was realized, they attempted to reach the man who had picked up the dog earlier. They were unsuccessful. They did learn that the dog was listed for sale online. The next day, the dog's actual owner arranged a meeting with the suspect and posed as an interested buyer. The meeting site was arranged near the DMC Children's Hospital on Big Beaver Road, and Troy police went to that location. On arrival, the officers found the dog, the suspect's vehicle and the dog's actual owner. The suspect, identified as Malik Deshawn Motley, 24, of Detroit, was taken to the Troy Police Lock-Up Facility. He was arraigned April 23 at 52-4 District Court on a felony count of larceny between $1,000 and $20,000. In the meantime, the dog has been safely reunited with its owner.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Child's hyperbaric chamber death spurs murder charges against health CEO, safety director
The CEO and the safety director of a Michigan wellness center are expected to be arraigned Tuesday afternoon on charges of second degree murder and involuntary manslaughter in the death of a 5-year-old boy inside a hyperbaric oxygen chamber. Court records from 52-4 District Court in Troy, Michigan, show that Tamela Peterson, CEO of the Oxford Center in Troy, and Jeffrey Alan Mosteller, its safety director and director of training, have been charged in the Jan. 31 death of Thomas Cooper. The boy, described by his family as curious, energetic and thoughtful, was in the midst of his 36th hyperbaric oxygen therapy treatment for ADHD and sleep apnea when the pressurized chamber burst into flames. Thomas was trapped inside. His mother desperately tried to free him but failed. Peterson's attorney, Gerald J. Gleeson II, declined to comment until after his client's Tuesday afternoon arraignment. No attorney was listed on court documents for Mosteller. Two other people were arrested Monday and also are expected to be charged in the child's death, Lt. Ben Hancock of the Troy Police Department said Monday evening. One of those is Gary Marken, who is on the Oxford Center's advisory board and is listed on the center's website as its director of operations. He also was charged with second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter, online court records show. Raymond Cassar, an attorney for Marken, said in a written statement that the tragedy was an accident rather than intentional. His client wasn't tasked with overseeing the hyperbaric chamber and has never been in trouble with the law before, he said. The charges were shocking to Marken and his family, Cassar said. "We realize that everyone wants answers to how this happened, but that will have to be left up to the experts," Cassar said. The Oxford Center, which has locations in Brighton and Troy, issued a statement late Monday to the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network, calling the timing of the charges "surprising." "After cooperating with multiple investigations starting immediately after the tragic accident in January, we are disappointed to see charges filed," the statement said. "The timing of these charges is surprising, as the typical protocol after a fire-related accident has not yet been completed. There are still outstanding questions about how this occurred. Yet, the Attorney General's office proceeded to pursue charges without those answers." State Attorney General Dana Nessel's office planned to hold a news conference at midday Tuesday. James Harrington, managing partner at Fieger Law, which is representing the family, told the Free Press in February that Thomas' parents were unaware of the danger their son faced when he climbed inside the hyperbaric oxygen chamber on the last day of January at the Oxford Center. Thomas' mother, Annie Cooper, raced from a nearby waiting area to his side, but couldn't get Thomas out of the sealed, tube-like chamber, Harrington said. She was left to watch in horror as her son burned to death inside the chamber, which was full of pure oxygen. Annie Cooper suffered third-degree burns to her arms, but the psychological trauma was far worse, Harrington said. "It's literally the worst thing that any parent could (experience)," he said. "And poor Thomas ... his last moments of life were being engulfed in flames and perishing in front of his mother. He was certainly aware of what was going on. "An event like this should never, ever, ever happen," he said. More: After fire kills 5-year-old boy, lawyer questions oversight of hyperbaric oxygen chambers The Oxford Center's website says that Peterson, 58, founded the center after trying hyperbaric oxygen therapy to help her daughter, who lost the ability to walk or talk following an infection with viral encephalitis. The website says the treatment "saved her daughter's life." The goal of the center is to make alternative therapies financially accessible to families, she wrote. The center's website suggests Mosteller, 64, "has worked in every aspect of hyperbaric medicine," in his 36-year career. In a recorded podcast episode, he spoke of "all of the amazing possibilities that Hyperbarics offers." Marken, 65, described himself in a recorded podcast interview as a foster parent and grandfather of seven, and said he works to help men overcome mental health struggles as they age. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the air inside a hyperbaric chamber is made up of 100% pure oxygen in a pressurized environment. That increased air pressure helps a person's lungs get more oxygen to tissues throughout the body, which can help it heal and fight certain infections. Treatments have been shown to relieve decompression sickness for scuba divers, to help firefighters, miners and others recover from carbon monoxide poisoning, to improve the success of skin grafts and to speed up the healing of infections, such as diabetic foot ulcers and gangrene, and in treatment of crush injuries. The FDA also has authorized hyperbaric oxygen therapy to treat severe anemia, radiation injuries and some types of complete and sudden hearing and vision loss. But the Oxford Center is among the alternative medical centers or medical spas that, in recent years, have offered hyperbaric oxygen therapy for conditions that are not FDA approved, such as autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, sports injuries, COVID-19, depression, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, strokes, migraine headaches and as an anti-aging treatment. Thomas Cooper's ADHD and sleep apnea are not among the medical conditions that are FDA approved for treatment with hyperbaric oxygen. Contributing: Christina Hall Contact Kristen Shamus: kshamus@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Child hyperbaric chamber death spurs charges against health executives
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Child's hyperbaric chamber death spurs murder charges against CEO, safety director
The CEO and the safety director of a Michigan wellness center are expected to be arraigned Tuesday afternoon on charges of second degree murder and involuntary manslaughter in the death of a 5-year-old boy inside a hyperbaric oxygen chamber. Court records from 52-4 District Court in Troy, Michigan, show that Tamela Peterson, CEO of the Oxford Center in Troy, and Jeffrey Alan Mosteller, its safety director and director of training, have been charged in the Jan. 31 death of Thomas Cooper. The boy, described by his family as curious, energetic and thoughtful, was in the midst of his 36th hyperbaric oxygen therapy treatment for ADHD and sleep apnea when the pressurized chamber burst into flames. Thomas was trapped inside. His mother desperately tried to free him but failed. Peterson's attorney, Gerald J. Gleeson II, declined to comment until after his client's Tuesday afternoon arraignment. No attorney was listed on court documents for Mosteller. Two other people were arrested Monday and also are expected to be charged in the child's death, Lt. Ben Hancock of the Troy Police Department said Monday evening. One of those is Gary Marken, who is on the Oxford Center's advisory board and is listed on the center's website as its director of operations. He also was charged with second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter, online court records show. Raymond Cassar, an attorney for Marken, said in a written statement that the tragedy was an accident rather than intentional. His client wasn't tasked with overseeing the hyperbaric chamber and has never been in trouble with the law before, he said. The charges were shocking to Marken and his family, Cassar said. "We realize that everyone wants answers to how this happened, but that will have to be left up to the experts," Cassar said. The Oxford Center, which has locations in Brighton and Troy, issued a statement late Monday to the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network, calling the timing of the charges "surprising." "After cooperating with multiple investigations starting immediately after the tragic accident in January, we are disappointed to see charges filed," the statement said. "The timing of these charges is surprising, as the typical protocol after a fire-related accident has not yet been completed. There are still outstanding questions about how this occurred. Yet, the Attorney General's office proceeded to pursue charges without those answers." State Attorney General Dana Nessel's office planned to hold a news conference at midday Tuesday. James Harrington, managing partner at Fieger Law, which is representing the family, told the Free Press in February that Thomas' parents were unaware of the danger their son faced when he climbed inside the hyperbaric oxygen chamber on the last day of January at the Oxford Center. Thomas' mother, Annie Cooper, raced from a nearby waiting area to his side, but couldn't get Thomas out of the sealed, tube-like chamber, Harrington said. She was left to watch in horror as her son burned to death inside the chamber, which was full of pure oxygen. Annie Cooper suffered third-degree burns to her arms, but the psychological trauma was far worse, Harrington said. "It's literally the worst thing that any parent could (experience)," he said. "And poor Thomas ... his last moments of life were being engulfed in flames and perishing in front of his mother. He was certainly aware of what was going on. "An event like this should never, ever, ever happen," he said. More: After fire kills 5-year-old boy, lawyer questions oversight of hyperbaric oxygen chambers The Oxford Center's website says that Peterson, 58, founded the center after trying hyperbaric oxygen therapy to help her daughter, who lost the ability to walk or talk following an infection with viral encephalitis. The website says the treatment "saved her daughter's life." The goal of the center is to make alternative therapies financially accessible to families, she wrote. The center's website suggests Mosteller, 64, "has worked in every aspect of hyperbaric medicine," in his 36-year career. In a recorded podcast episode, he spoke of "all of the amazing possibilities that Hyperbarics offers." Marken, 65, described himself in a recorded podcast interview as a foster parent and grandfather of seven, and said he works to help men overcome mental health struggles as they age. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the air inside a hyperbaric chamber is made up of 100% pure oxygen in a pressurized environment. That increased air pressure helps a person's lungs get more oxygen to tissues throughout the body, which can help it heal and fight certain infections. Treatments have been shown to relieve decompression sickness for scuba divers, to help firefighters, miners and others recover from carbon monoxide poisoning, to improve the success of skin grafts and to speed up the healing of infections, such as diabetic foot ulcers and gangrene, and in treatment of crush injuries. The FDA also has authorized hyperbaric oxygen therapy to treat severe anemia, radiation injuries and some types of complete and sudden hearing and vision loss. But the Oxford Center is among the alternative medical centers or medical spas that, in recent years, have offered hyperbaric oxygen therapy for conditions that are not FDA approved, such as autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, sports injuries, COVID-19, depression, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, strokes, migraine headaches and as an anti-aging treatment. Thomas Cooper's ADHD and sleep apnea are not among the medical conditions that are FDA approved for treatment with hyperbaric oxygen. Contributing: Christina Hall Contact Kristen Shamus: kshamus@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Child hyperbaric chamber death spurs charges against health executives
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Yahoo
Milford driver, 94, charged with misdemeanor in death of Novi woman killed in crash
NOVI — The 94-year-old driver who police say ran over and killed a Novi woman in October has been charged with a misdemeanor. Phyllis Stafford of Milford was charged with a moving violation causing death, which is punishable by up to one year in jail, after investigators said she rear-ended and then fatally struck Sarah Thexton, 59, who had exited her vehicle after the crash in Wixom. Stafford was arraigned in 52-4 District Court in Troy on Feb. 12, said Jeff Wattrick, public information officer for the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office. Stafford entered a plea of not guilty. The case was moved to Troy after 52-1 District Court officials in Novi recused themselves. Stafford has been employed by the 52-1 District Court in Novi as a clerk for more than 50 years, Oakland County PIO Bill Mullan said on Thursday. Attorney Spencer Bondy said he is representing Stafford and was reviewing her case. "Ms. Stafford is currently charged with misdemeanor Moving Violation Causing Death, not murder or manslaughter," Bondy wrote in an email on Thursday. "She has been cooperating with authorities throughout their investigation and will continue to cooperate as this case progresses. Ms. Stafford has never been in trouble before and has an exemplary record. She is devastated by this incident, it is significantly tragic for everyone involved." Chris Thexton, who was married to Sarah Thexton for 24 years, has been grieving his wife's death and waiting for answers for more than four months. He said the charge against Stafford should be vehicular homicide, or reckless driving causing death, a felony punishable by up to 15 years, not the misdemeanor charge she is facing. "This is a miscarriage of justice. Or at least the absence of it," said Thexton, who filed a civil suit against Stafford on Feb. 12 in Oakland County Circuit Court. "I am disgusted... What I know is that Sarah was killed and she was killed brutally and unnecessarily. It changed my life and things will never be the same. There is a void in my life and my family's life that will never be healed, caused by a 94-year-old woman who should never have been on the road." More: Novi man wants Michigan to adopt elderly driving laws after wife killed in crash Wattrick said McDonald's office has spoken with Thexton and is aware of his concerns. Thexton confirmed someone on McDonald's staff reached out to him before issuing the misdemeanor charge. "She offered an explanation for this that I did not understand,' he said in a text. He said because he didn't understand the explanation, he asked that it be sent to him by email. He hasn't heard from McDonald's office since. Police say Stafford was driving a 2010 Nissan Versa on South Wixom Road near Sam's Way on Oct. 3 when she rear-ended a 2024 Honda CR-V driven by Sarah Thexton, who was stopped in traffic. When Thexton stepped out of her vehicle to inspect the damage, police said Stafford, still in her Versa, accelerated, running over Thexton and pushing the Thexton's SUV into a nearby truck. Sarah Thexton was transported to the hospital where she died, leaving behind her husband and daughter. Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald did not respond to multiple requests to speak about the decision to charge Stafford with a misdemeanor. Instead, Wattrick issued a statement by email on behalf of McDonald's office: "The death of Sarah Jane Thexton was a tragedy," he wrote. "The charging decision in this case was not made lightly. Based upon the investigation conducted by the Oakland County Sheriff's Crash Reconstruction Unit, Moving Violation Causing Death (a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail) was the only appropriate charge against Phyllis Stafford according to current Michigan law." On her 90th birthday in March of 2020, Stafford was honored by Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter with a proclamation recognizing that she had worked for the 52-1 District Court in Novi for half of her life, starting in 1975. Although she retired from her full-time position in 1993, Stafford still works part-time at the courthouse and has served in every division, including probation, civil, criminal and traffic. Oakland County Public Information Officer Bill Mullan said Stafford remains employed by the 52-1 District Court as of Thursday. Stafford also retains an active driver's license, Wattrick said. Contact reporter Susan Bromley at sbromley@ This article originally appeared on Milford driver, 94, faces misdemeanor in crash that killed Novi woman
