Dana's Dispatch: Conviction Integrity Exonerations, Embezzlement Conviction, Defending Reproductive Healthcare, & More!

--------------------------------------------------------------- Dana Nessel discusses exoneration of 2 brothers who wrongly served 25 years for Oakland County murder As important as it is to convict the guilty, those of us in law enforcement must also strive to free those who have been wrongfully convicted and who are factually innocent of the crimes for which they have been sentenced. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel discussed the exoneration of two brothers who wrongly served 25 years in prison for Oakland County murder convictions. [READ MORE]( Click on Detroit, Click on Detroit (March 22, 2022) Dana Nessel discusses exoneration of 2 brothers who wrongly served 25 years for Oakland County murder Retrieved from: [Dana Nessel discusses exoneration of 2 brothers who wrongly served 25 years for Oakland County murder]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Michigan AG warns about most popular scams right now My office is always on the lookout for new scams so we can alert people to what fraudsters are up to. Check out this video I did with Help Me Hank to learn more about some of the most popular scams of the moment, including those trying to cheat you out of your tax refund. It seems like scammers are after your money now more than ever. That’s why we’re teaming up with Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel to help keep you informed about the most popular scams happening right now. Both the Help Me Hank team and Nessel’s office are always investigating scams and ways that you can keep yourself and your money safe. Fraudsters are often working to obtain your personal information, your money or both. Some of the biggest scams you should be aware of right now include: Tax scams, Pet scams, Email and phishing scams, and Online shopping scams. [READ MORE]( Hank Winchester, MLive (March 24, 2022) Michigan AG warns about most popular scams right now Retrieved from: [Michigan AG warns about most popular scams right now]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Attorney General Dana Nessel Reminds Prospective Pet Owners of Best Purchasing Practices Don't get catfished looking for the perfect dog! Always ask to meet your new pet in person prior to purchasing, and use a credit card so you can dispute the payment later if you have to. [READ MORE]( Michigan Department of Attorney General, Michigan Department of Attorney General on Facebook (March 23, 2022) Gas Gouging PSA Retrieved from: [Gas Gouging PSA]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Holland pharmacy to pay restitution in COVID-19 test kit price gouging case My Consumer Protection Team continues to secure positive results for Michigan consumers. Let it be clearly understood: I will hold accountable businesses that exploit the ongoing pandemic for monetary gain. Attorney General Dana Nessel announced Monday that four Michigan pharmacies accused of price gouging have entered compliance agreements, including Skip's Pharmacy in Holland. The announcement comes after a Notice of Intended Action (NIA) was issued to the pharmacies in February. The Attorney General's Office had received complaints that the pharmacy was selling overpriced at-home COVID-19 test kits. The kits were going for $80 per kit, which Nessel said was far more than their market value. The NIA also claimed that the kits were selling at higher rates than other pharmacies in the area. After the NIA was issued, the pharmacies agreed to price the kits at $12.99 per kit, except where a customer’s insurance plan reimburses at a pre-set amount. In addition, the pharmacies will pay $100 to two customers who had complained, and an additional $1,000 to the Attorney General's Office as restitution to customers who bought the overpriced kits. [READ MORE]( 13 on Your Side Staff, 13 on Your Side (March 21, 2022) Holland pharmacy to pay restitution in COVID-19 test kit price gouging case Retrieved from: [Holland pharmacy to pay restitution in COVID-19 test kit price gouging case]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Former Hazel Park police official sentenced for embezzling public funds I appreciate the partnership between our local and federal partners that drove this case from beginning to end. We remain committed to ensuring those who took an oath to serve the public are held accountable when that position is exploited for personal gain. A former Hazel Park police detective has been sentenced after pleading guilty to embezzlement last year. On Tuesday, Sean Boucher, a former Hazel Park Police detective who admitted to embezzling around $68,000 in public asset forfeiture funds for his own personal use between 2013 and 2017, was sentenced in Oakland County Circuit Court to three years probation and had a portion of his pension seized. The forfeited amount is anything that accrued into Bocher’s pension on or after Jan. 1, 2013, when he first began embezzling. During a December plea hearing, Boucher agreed to pay restitution and relinquish his Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES) certification. Those terms have already been met by Boucher, according to the Attorney General’s Office. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Detroit Area Public Corruption Task Force assisted in the investigation, which was then presented to Nessel’s office for prosecution. Josh Hauxhurst, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan, said Boucher violated the oath he took to protect and serve the citizens of Hazel Park by stealing forfeiture money for his personal use. “His actions do not reflect the professionalism of the men and women of the Hazel Park Police Department,” he said. “The FBI will continue to work alongside the Attorney General’s office and our law enforcement partners to hold corrupt police officers accountable for their actions.” [READ MORE]( Mark Cavitt, The Oakland Press (March 22, 2022) Former Hazel Park police official sentenced for embezzling public funds Retrieved from: [Former Hazel Park police official sentenced for embezzling public funds]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Prosecution wouldn't be only option for abortion foes in a post-Roe Michigan If Roe falls and any of my Republican opponents are elected as Michigan Attorney General, even in life saving circumstances, what physician would risk going to prison? The Handmaids Tale isn’t dystopian fiction. It’s right around the corner. One court ruling. One election. That's what stands between Michigan and a return to the bad old days when abortion was illegal. Before Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 U.S. Supreme Court case that gave women the right to control our own bodies. The court is widely expected to overturn Roe before its current term ends in June. Abortion is still a crime banned in Michigan's penal code, but that portion of Public Act 328 of 1931 was made unenforceable by the high court's historic ruling in Roe. So if the current court's conservative majority rules against Roe, undergoing or performing an abortion in Michigan will once again be a felony. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has said that she will not prosecute any woman for obtaining an abortion, or any qualified doctor for providing one, although individual county prosecutors might. But all the three of the Republican men vying to replace Nessel this fall are pro-life. A pro-life attorney general determined to stamp out abortion in Michigan would have more than the threat of criminal prosecution at his disposal. The state attorney general's office routinely does licensing and regulatory investigations, Nessel explained — in fact, the office has a division dedicated to such work. A pro-life attorney general would likely work with LARA, the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, to revoke the medical licenses of doctors performing abortions. So if you've ever wondered how, exactly, the state could end a right Michigan women have relied on for decades — if you've ever thought it couldn't happen — this is how. It would be easy. And it could happen very fast. [READ MORE]( Nancy Kaffer, Detroit Free Press (March 26, 2022) Opinion: Prosecution wouldn't be only option for abortion foes in a post-Roe Michigan Retrieved from: [Opinion: Prosecution wouldn't be only option for abortion foes in a post-Roe Michigan]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Portage police officer honored by AG Nessel for saving life of suicidal person It was a privilege to honor the hard work and dedication of Officer Barker. He is truly a model public servant, and deserves to be recognized for his service to the community. Photo courtesy of Gabi Broekema, MLive A police officer in Portage was honored this week for going above and beyond in the line of duty. After saving a suicidal person last year, officer David Barker was presented with the Above and Beyond Award by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel at a ceremony Tuesday, March 22, at the Portage Department of Public Safety. Barker intervened in a mental health crisis and prevented a citizen’s attempt to die by suicide in July 2021, according to the city. The person was in a vehicle in a Portage city park when they indicated an intent to die by suicide with a handgun, according to the police narrative provided by the city of Portage. Barker called for backup officers, who escorted bystanders out of the park into safety. During a moment of distraction, Barker reached into the vehicle and took the handgun from the person, police said. De-escalation of people in mental health crises was part of crisis intervention training that Portage officers underwent in 2021. Portage police were joined by officers from Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety, Michigan State Police, Kalamazoo Township Police and Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office for four days of training in the classroom and role-playing scenarios. [READ MORE]( Kayla Miller, MLive (March 23, 2022) Portage police officer honored by AG Nessel for saving life of suicidal person Retrieved from: [Portage police officer honored by AG Nessel for saving life of suicidal person]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Attorney General Nessel Files Brief in Support of Transportation Workers’ Rights Cargo workers play a major role in keeping our state running efficiently and like any other transportation worker, deserve protections. I join my colleagues in urging the Supreme Court to uphold the FAA’s interpretation exempting cargo workers. Attorney General Dana Nessel has joined a coalition of 18 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief that urges the Supreme Court to affirm a lower court’s decision that transportation workers who load and unload interstate cargo are exempt from the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA). The FAA requires workers to raise claims against their employer in private arbitration proceedings when they have signed an arbitration agreement, but there is an exception within the FAA for transportation workers. According to officials, in a brief filed in Southwest Airlines Co. vs. Saxon, the coalition supports Latrice Saxon, a ramp agent supervisor at Midway Airport, in her claim that she and other cargo workers fall within the FAA’s exemption for transportation workers. The attorneys general assert that those workers should be afforded the right to raise claims against their employer outside of private arbitration. The coalition also argues in the brief that the transportation sector plays a critical role in state economies and infrastructure. Additionally, they argue that a disruption in transportation or shipping operations caused by labor conflicts has the potential to impact almost every aspect of commerce within a state. As a result, the coalition asserts that states have an interest in making sure disputes involving transportation workers are resolved in public and transparent proceedings that allow states to monitor disputes and respond as needed, as opposed to private and confidential arbitration proceedings designed by employers. [READ MORE]( 9 & 10 News Site Staff, 9 & 10 News (March 25, 2022) Attorney General Nessel Files Brief in Support of Transportation Worker’s Rights Retrieved from: [Attorney General Nessel Files Brief in Support of Transportation Worker’s Rights]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Thank you for being a part of Dana's re-election campaign! Sending emails is a crucial way to keep supporters like you updated on Dana's fight for justice and progress. Plus, this campaign is fueled by grassroots supporters like you! 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