News & Views Archives | Detroit Metro Times

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Metro Detroit

Elderly Detroit man freed after he was sentenced to life in prison at the age of 18

The Michigan Court of Appeals ruled in 2022 that sentencing 18-year-olds to life in prison was cruel and unusual punishment

By Steve Neavling
Feb 14, 2024

Tags: Metro Detroit, News, Ivory Thomas, prison, Michigan, Detroit, murder, Michigan Court of Appeals, People v. Poole, Wayne County Prosecutor's Office, Kym Worthy
Michigan

Activists to rally at state Capitol to urge Gov. Whitmer to grant clemency to more inmates

Attendees will receive a free serving of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream as part of the company’s cannabis justice campaign

By Steve Neavling
Sep 28, 2023

Tags: Michigan News, News, Civil Rights, Politics & Government, Clemens, Ben and Jerry's, Michael Thompson, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, state Capitol, Lansing, marijuana, prison, jail
Metro Detroit

Wayne County carjacker accidentally let loose by Ohio jail

Christopher Bibbs Jr. was serving four to 10 years in prison when he was incorrectly released

By Steve Neavling
May 15, 2023

Tags: Metro Detroit News, News, Michigan Department of corrections, prison, Christopher Bibbs, Wayne County, carjacking, Thumb Correctional Facility, Lapeer, Ohio
Michigan

Michigan Legislature considers bills to abolish life sentences for juveniles

Under the legislation, felons under the age of 19 cannot be sentenced to more than 60 years in prison

By Steve Neavling
Mar 3, 2023

Tags: Michigan News, News, Juveniles, Juvenile crime, life imprisonment, prison, Michigan, State Senate, State House, Jeff Irwin, Miller v. Alabama
Michigan

3 men convicted in plot to kidnap Gov. Whitmer sentenced up to 20 years in prison

The defendants’ ‘ultimate goals were to kill police and elected officials and kidnap the Governor of Michigan,’ AG Nessel said

By Steve Neavling
Dec 15, 2022

Tags: Michigan News, News, Gov. Whitmer, Michigan, Wolverine Watchmen, Paul Bellar, Joseph Morrison, Pete Musico, kidnapping plot, court, prison
Michigan

He wanted a race war. Instead, Michigan man gets 20 years in prison.

Justen Watkins is the leader of The Base, a pro-Hitler movement that advocates for a race war against non-white people

By Steve Neavling
Aug 18, 2022

Tags: Michigan News, News, Racism, White Supremacists, The Base, Justen Watkins, Dexter, Sentenced, prison, Michigan Attorney General, Dana Nessel
Michigan

Michigan state House bill would eliminate fees to call a loved one in jail

Studies show phone contact reduces recidivism and has a positive impact on children with an incarcerated parent

By Steve Neavling
Aug 18, 2022

Tags: Michigan News, News, Michigan, State House, prison, jail, criminal justice reform, Tenisha Yancey, Roscommon County
Politics & Elections

U.S. House calls on Russia to release Novi resident Paul Whelan

Paul Whelan has been locked up in Russia since December 2018 on espionage charges

By Steve Neavling
Apr 27, 2022

Tags: Politics & Elections, Paul Whelan, U.S. House, Russian, prison, Haley Stevens, politics, espionage
Michigan

Michigan is among the top states for exonerating people for wrongful convictions

Eleven people were released from Michigan prisons for crimes they didn't commit in 2021

By Steve Neavling
Apr 12, 2022

Tags: Michigan News, Exoneration, Michigan, Michigan Attorney General, Innocence Project, prison, crimes, Kym Worthy, Dana Nessel
Metro Detroit

We’re going to pretend nothing happened? Charles Pugh to return to airwaves

By Alex Washington
Mar 17, 2022

Tags: Metro Detroit News, Charles Pugh, Scandal, Detroit City Council, prison, release, survivors, Detroit radio, WJLB, Reggie Reg
Michigan

Ex-Macomb County prosecutor sentenced to 21 months in prison for fraud scheme

By Steve Neavling
Feb 16, 2022

Tags: Michigan News, Macomb County, U.S. District Court, prison, Eric Smith, prosecutor
Metro Detroit

Ex-Detroit City Councilman Andre Spivey sentenced to 2 years in prison for taking bribes

By Steve Neavling
Jan 19, 2022

Tags: Detroit, Detroit City council, Andre Spivey, sentencing, prison, bribery, Operation Northern Hook, FBI
Metro Detroit

Rally outside women’s prison in Michigan to shine light on alleged ‘rape punishment’ of inmates

By Steve Neavling
Jan 14, 2022

Tags: Huron Valley Correctional Facility, sexual assault, prison, Michigan, Michigan Department of Corrections, retaliation, civil rights
Metro Detroit

Ballot measure aims to allow Michigan prisoners to earn time off jail sentence with good behavior

By Steve Neavling
Nov 17, 2021

Tags: Michigan United, Truth in Sentencing, prison, Michigan, Department of Corrections, ballot initiative, petitions, Ken Whitaker, Michigan Board of State Canvassers
Metro Detroit

Ex-Detroit City Council President Charles Pugh set for December prison release

By Alex Washington
Aug 10, 2021

Tags: Charles Pugh, prison, Detroit City Council
Metro Detroit

‘White Boy Rick’ to sue FBI, Detroit police for alleged child abuse

By Steve Neavling
Jul 20, 2021

Tags: White Boy Rick, Rick Wershe, FBI, Detroit police, Detroit, cocaine, drugs, prison, lawsuit, Nabih Ayad
Metro Detroit

Michigan man imprisoned for 32 years is freed after DNA evidence exonerated him of murder

By Steve Neavling
May 26, 2021

Tags: Michigan Attorney General, Dana Nessel, Conviction Integrity Unit, murder, prison, Gilbert Lee Poole Jr., DNA, Western Michigan University-Cooley Law School Innocence Project
Metro Detroit

Detroit artist and former boxing champ Ray Gray released from prison after 48 years for a murder he insists he did not commit

By Dave Mesrey and Eddie B. Allen Jr.
May 25, 2021

Tags: Ray Gray, Free Ray Gray, Michigan, prison
Metro Detroit

Comedian Samantha Bee blasts Detroit Pistons owner Tom Gores over role in prison phone call injustice

By Lee DeVito
May 6, 2021

Tags: Detroit Pistons, Tom Gores, Securus, prison
Metro Detroit

Detroit artist and former Golden Gloves boxing champ Ray Gray’s infamous 1973 murder case is back before the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Conviction Integrity Unit

By Dave Mesrey
Apr 4, 2021

Tags: News Hits, prison, prisoner, conviction integrity unit, wrongful conviction, exoneration, Ray Gray, Reuben Bryant, Golden Gloves, Kym Worthy, Valerie Newman, Gabi Silver, Detroit, Michigan