News & Commentary

Four years ago, my son Jabari and other Flint schoolchildren poisoned by lead-contaminated drinking water sued the state and local school districts because they were not getting the special education services required by law.

What the woman we’ll call Maria most wants people to know is how very thankful she is, first to God, and then to all the people who worked to get her out of the Calhoun County Jail. Once that gratitude is expressed, though, the message she wants to send is one of alarm over the threat asylum seekers like her endure in county jails during a deadly pandemic. 

For nearly two years, I served as a public defender in Berrien County, representing poor people accused of committing crimes. It was a job that brought me into daily contact with the racism that exists within the criminal legal system here and the human toll it takes. 

The current state of the world is filled with both confusion and unrest. We are in the midst of a global pandemic, in addition to a battle with racial injustice and inequality. The heavily publicized death of George Floyd, following the deaths of Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, has sparked global protests from both the Black community and our supporters. Though the pandemic came with a deadly force, it also shed light on the many steps that still need to be taken to move our country forward. 

Earlier this year, Michigan lawmakers were provided a clear, concise roadmap designed to reform a criminal legal system plagued by racism and abuse into one that is just and fair. They took the bold step of following that road map this week when they announced plans to vote for the passage of 17 bills that will reduce the number of people sitting behind bars pretrial and provide common-sense alternatives to arrest and incarceration. These bills begin Michigan’s path on that roadmap, codifying the recommendations made by the Michigan Joint Task Force on Jail and Pretrial Incarceration.  

Last week, as the COVID-19 death toll continued to climb, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer extended a moratorium on water shutoffs across Michigan through the end of this year. A civil rights coalition filed a class action lawsuit.

Victoria Burton-Harris, Criminal Defense Attorney, McCaskey Law, PLC

When it comes to Michigan’s criminal legal system, the time is now for massive change. The senseless, horrific death of George Floyd, captured in gruesome detail on video, has sparked protests against police racism and abuse throughout the United States. 

Praying he won’t die behind bars, Jamie Meade is making the case for his release from the Michigan prison system. In that effort, he has the unwavering support of family and