3/6/2010
On March 4, 2010, the Court of Appeals published a per curiam opinion in People v. Waterstone, No. 294667, directing the Attorney General (AG) to withdraw from prosecution of the case because of a conflict of interest under Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct (MRPC) 1.9 and 1.10. In this action, the AG brought a felony complaint against Circuit Court Judge Waterstone, alleging that she knowingly permitted witnesses to commit perjury during a criminal trial. One of the two defendants from that criminal trial had earlier filed a federal civil rights suit against the judge and others, based on admission of the alleged perjured testimony. The AG's office assigned an assistant AG from the Public Employment, Elections and Tort (PEET) Division to defend the judge in the civil action, which was eventually dismissed. The Wayne County Prosecutor withdrew from prosecution of individuals allegedly involved in the perjury because of a conflict of interest, and eventually the AG agreed to prosecute the cases.
Read more of Sarah's entry on the One Court of Justice blog here.