A large number of the daily visitors on my website are city, county, state, and federal agencies. The MIOIDV website allows officials to access these cases instantly so they don't have to spend hours and days researching OIDV cases themselves.
Additionally, the website allows state officials to follow current OIDV cases as they progress through the criminal justice system. Thus, officials are able to witness first-hand the discrepancy in how OIDV criminal cases are handled differently than non-officer involved DV cases.
The family's and law enforcement's fight for Elaine included the "Sgt. Elaine Williams Domestic Violence Ordinance" - which bans anyone convicted of a domestic violence charge in the city of Detroit/prosecuted by the Detroit City Attorney, from ever being able to purchase a firearm.
NOW, people are furious, claiming this violates their Second Amendment rights. NO it does not. The federal Lautenberg Domestic Violence Gun Ban/18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(9) enacted in 1996 prevents anyone convicted of a misdemeanor or felony DV charge of ever possessing/owning/purchasing a gun. Period.
Michigan mentality to the Lautenberg Amendment: Congressman Bart Stupak (a former police officer) was not happy that the Lautenberg Amendment included police officers convicted of domestic violence. Stupak attempted to have police officers exempt by introducing bill H.R. 445, 105th Congress. Stupak's attempt to have police officers exempt from the Lautenberg Amendment failed.
Meanwhile, in Michigan, state legislators took up Congressman Stupak's battle cry to protect law enforcement officers from the Lautenberg Amendment. Keep in mind, no state law can supersede a federal law AND a state cannot ignore a federal law.
So, our state legislators turned to MCL 769.4a - which had been first enacted in 1978, when domestic violence was beginning to be processed as a criminal offense. In order to prevent the strain domestic violence charges would place on the court system and jails, MCL 769.4a allowed an offender to plead guilty to a misdemeanor offense in exchange for the offender being placed on probation and attending counseling instead of going to jail - and at the end of the probation period, the offender's conviction would be expunged from their record.
Question is, why had MCL 769.4a not been removed from the books when the Lautenberg Amendment was enacted? Why did our state legislators instead use MCL 769.4a to circumvent the Lautenberg Amendment?
MI legislators inserted into MCL 769.4a: "Discharge and dismissal under this section shall be without adjudication of guilt and is not a conviction for purposes of this section or for purposes of disqualifications or disabilities imposed by law upon conviction of a crime." = Michigan legislators bypassing the Lautenberg Amendment/ Michigan's Lautenberg Loophole, which has been used to save the jobs of law enforcement officers charged with domestic violence offenses. Screw the officer-involved domestic violence victim and her safety.
Since the enactment of the Lautenberg Amendment, MI legislators have repeatedly amended MCL 769.4a to protect abusing law enforcement officers from being held criminally responsible for their violent crimes. Detroit Police Officer Gary Steele is an infamous MCL 769.4a plea bargain case. Facing life in prison for the the brutal violent attack on his ex-girlfriend, Steele only received one year probation and was placed back on duty.
Since the use of MCL 769.4a to circumvent the Lautenberg Amendment, it is common-place for officers charged with domestic violence to get this plea bargain and be back on duty with a gun strapped to their hip.
Prosecutors, who don't want to deal with domestic violence cases and trials, are all too eager to hand non-officer involved domestic violence abusers this same get out of accountability card/MCL 739.4a plea deal - no matter how violent the abuser is and no matter the danger the abuser poses to the victim.
What the state of Michigan now has: a bunch of convicted violent dangerous domestic violence abusers who have a right to purchase/own guns, because the Lautenberg Amendment was by-passed by prosecutors via MCL 769.4a. - and these same convicted abusers are more likely to kill the next time they abuse their victim.
How dangerous is the MCL 769.4a plea bargain/Lautenberg Amendment Loophole to victims of domestic violence?
In 2020 Senate Bill 257 Of 2019/ACT NO. 115 amending MCL 769.4a was enacted. Under the new amendment, an offender can only receive probation - no jail time. The list of domestic violence crimes allowed for the plea was expanded to include everything less than murder. No matter how brutal the attack on a victim, the abuser was eligible for a plea under MCL 769.4a - and would be allowed to purchase/own a gun.
Not only have Michigan legislators successfully circumvented the Lautenberg Amendment but they have practically decriminalized domestic violence under MCL 769.4a.
HOWEVER, a prosecuting attorney/city attorney does not have to offer/use the MCL 769.4a plea bargain to anyone charged with a domestic violence charge. The city of Detroit will no longer use MCL 769.4a, due to the increase in domestic violence deaths.
Convicted of domestic violence and living in Detroit? You could lose your gun.
The Detroit City Council approved a new local law this week that will allow authorities to strip firearms away from anyone convicted of a misdemeanor related to domestic violence.
Council members at Tuesday's meeting approved the Sgt. Elaine Williams Domestic Violence ordinance, named after a police sergeant who was shot and killed in her home by Eddie Ray Jr. Johnson in 2019 during a domestic violence incident.
Supporters praised the new measure a way to keep guns out of the hands of those convicted of a misdemeanor related to domestic violence. Other state and federal laws deal with those convicted of a felony related to domestic violence.
Councilman Scott Benson pushed for the new ordinance as a means of curbing domestic violence in the city.
"In 2019, 17 Detroiters were murdered via domestic violence with handguns. In 2020, 23 people were murdered as a result of domestic violence and handguns. We have to get handguns out of those who can't handle themselves emotionally or physically," Benson told the Free Press.
The councilman made it clear that gun removal is not for those who are accused in domestic violence crimes, but for those convicted of a misdemeanor, mirroring federal law. The ordinance leaves open questions of how it will be enforced. Benson said it would be up to the courts.
"As a former member of the United States military who understands the responsibility associated with gun ownership, I don’t take it lightly. When you see the impact on the residents of the city of Detroit, you have to do something," Benson said.
Benson also added that female victims of domestic violence are "five times more likely to be murdered" with a weapon in their home.
"It's critical that we remove weapons from those who have proven themselves incapable of handling their emotions," Benson said. "It's about being another tool in the toolbox that we don't currently have. I am under no impression it's going to solve all the problems."
Dr. La Donna Combs, executive director of Detroit-based Sisters Against Abuse Society, said the new measure provides an additional tool to reduce the chances someone might be fatally wounded from the use of a gun during domestic violence. However, she said, more training is needed to respond to domestic violence cases. Generally, she said, domestic violence is still underreported because of victims' fears that law enforcement will not believe their accounts.
Combs' organization provides resources for domestic violence victims, including food, counseling, funeral service support and workshops.
"We want to help women heal and to understand that Black women suffer domestic violence at rates that are 47% higher than white women," Combs said. "African American women don't seek the services. They have so many other barriers. Sometimes, it's the parenting; sometimes it's the housing. I've had women show up with a black eye, asking for food and a gas card."
However, Tom Lambert said he questions the legality of the new local law, arguing localities may not be able to restrict gun rights in this way. Lambert is the president of Michigan Open Carry Inc., a group that promotes the lawful possession of handguns, including "open-carry" style in public places.
Lambert said that unless there is a state law allowing the city to enforce the ordinance, then it could be challenged in court and lead to civil claims against the city.
"The city can't invoke federal law and say we have the authority to do something when state law tells them no," Lambert said.
Anyone convicted of domestic violence could be prohibited from possessing firearms under probation or a personal protection order, according to Shanon Banner, Michigan State Police spokesperson. They may also be prohibited from obtaining a concealed pistol license because of the conviction.
But "there is nothing under Michigan law that expressly prohibits a person with a Domestic Violence conviction from possessing a firearm," Banner said in an email.
The Detroit Police Department declined to comment about the new measure or how it could be enforced.
'This will help save lives.' Detroit approves ordinance taking guns from domestic violence offenders
(WXYZ) — Detroit City Council voted unanimously to approve an ordinance that strips guns away from domestic violence offenders.
"This ordinance will help save lives," Councilman Scott Benson said.
The new measure is the first of its kind in the state, and comes on the heels of a spike in domestic violence homicides in Detroit. They are up 35% compared to 2019.
It's named for Detroit Police Sgt. Elaine Williams, who was killed by the father of her child in 2019. Benson said the ordinance could have saved her life, and Williams' mother hopes this prevents future tragedies.
"It's a wonderful thing. I cry with good tears," Christine Begoske, Williams' mother, said.
The "Sgt. Elaine Williams Domestic Violence Ordinance" mirrors federal law, and will allow for the taking of weapons from misdemeanor domestic violence offenders. City attorneys can now prosecute those cases in 36th district court. It will also make it illegal to sell guns to offenders.
Benson introduced the ordinance which the council passed unanimously.
"We now have empowered our police department to take away those weapons and help protect some of our most vulnerable residents in the city of Detroit," Benson said.
This does open the city up for legal challenges, Benson said, on the grounds of rights violations, but he said it's a risk they're willing to take.
A spokesperson for First Step, a support group for domestic violence victims serving Wayne County, said while removing guns won't stop domestic violence completely, it will help.
To give you a sense of where the numbers stand, according to the FBI, from 2015 to 2019, 91 women were fatally shot by their partners in Michigan. Of those, 65 percent were killed by a gun. That's above the 59 percent nationally.
Detroit City Council approves ordinance to strip guns away from those convicted of domestic violence
DETROIT – The Detroit City Council has unanimously approved an ordinance that would take guns away from domestic abusers.
The ordinance is named after Detroit police Sergeant Elaine Williams, who was shot and killed in her home. Police said her live-in partner killed her.
The ordinance mirrors a national law but would give city attorneys the power to prosecute the cases. Williams’ mother was moved to tears when she learned of the ordinance.
Christine Begoske counseled her daughter many times during her relationship with Eddie Johnson. Begoske said the relationship was abusive.
The Wayne County Prosecutor said Johnson shot Williams five times in front of her 12-year-old son in 2019 in their Garden City home.
Dr. La Donna Combs, with the Sisters Against Abuse Society, said that between 2019 and 2020 domestic violence reports rose 66%. Out of the reported domestic violence homicides, 85% were due to gun violence.
Detroit City Council votes to strip guns away from convicted domestic violence offenders
DETROIT (WXYZ) — The Detroit City Council on Tuesday voted unanimously to take guns away from convicted domestic violence offenders.
The ordinance strips guns away from domestic violence offenders who have misdemeanor convictions.
It is called the Sgt. Elaine Williams Domestic Violence Ordinance and mirrors federal law.
Detroit Police Sgt. Elaine Williams was shot several times at close range in 2019 by her son's father Eddie Johnson.
Their child witnessed his father shoot his mother to death.
Christine Begoske, Sgt. Williams' mother, feared he would eventually hurt her daughter and spoke out about the new ordinance.
“This will save the lives of many women like my daughter,” Begoske of Westland said. “It’s a great honor, a great thing and if she were here, she would be proud.
Begoske had urged Sgt. Williams to end the relationship. She repeatedly warned her daughter. Williams did try to end it and thought she had one more time, according to her mother.
“I try to tell anybody who will hear me. One hit is enough,” Begoske said. “Anytime a man puts his hands on you one time, leave him alone because it’s going to get worse and worse and worse.”
Detroit Councilmember Scott Benson submitted the ordinance for approval in an effort to keep people from being injured or murdered by people they are in relationships with.
“When people have issues controlling their emotions, they can’t handle the responsibility of possessing a weapon,” he said. “Their guns need to be taken away; this is another tool to do that.”
Domestic violence advocacy group, First Step works with domestic and sexual violence survivors and their families in Wayne County.
In a statement to Seven Action News, their executive director Lori Kitchen-Buschel says:
"The ordinance proposed by Counselman Benson will help to create a barrier for assailantsseeking power and control, that have a proven record of violence, from using firearms to assert more control and murder their victims. This ordinance is a commonsense policy to help limit homicide and domestic violence escalation in the City of Detroit. First Step is in support of this ordinance to allow for increased safety in the community."
From 2015 to 2019, 91 women were fatally shot by an intimate partner in Michigan.
17 women were shot and killed by their partners in 2019. In 2020, violence-related homicides jumped to 23 in Detroit, a 35% increase.
Antoinette James, an advocate for a crime victim service program called Open Arms, says here caseload has skyrocketed since the pandemic began.
“This is a desperate situation, and something must be done to protect these women,” she said. “I’m hopeful this ordinance will help save lives.”
The local head of Michigan Moms Demand Action in Detroit is also hopeful the ordinance will curb the violence.
“With the rise in calls to domestic violence hotlines during the pandemic, and more than half of shootings involving a perpetrator who killed an intimate partner or family member, it’s clear that we need to do all we can to keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers,” Reid said. “Passing this ordinance would be a life-saving step for Detroit and state lawmakers should follow suit to protect women, families, and communities.”
Off-duty DPD officer shot and killed - Officer Elaine Williams
"We are unable to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt," Pulda said (lead prosecutor of the Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence and Crimes Against Children division in response to why she didn't file charges against Rep. Marino). ["Prosecutors won't charge Rep. Marino with stalking after Rep. Manoogian alleged abuse".Detroit Free Press. October 26, 2021.]
Why was probable cause not used in this case: Documentation of text messages and Marino admitting he sent the texts when he claimed the texts were taken out of context.
How in the heck does one take Representative Steve Marino's text messages 'out of context'?????
NOTE: Representative Marino apparently was using his state government cell phone when he sent these messages - as these threatening texts are on the same message string as his state legislative text messages...
"#$%@ yourself"
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"You @#$#@#$# I'm making it my life mission to destroy you."
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"...you're truly the worst human being I've ever met. I mean that with the utmost sincerity. Just a parasite."
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After Marino's abusive, threatening messages to Rep. Manoogian, he sent her the following legislator/work related message:
Followed by more threatening messages from Marino to Manoogian:
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"Hope your car explodes on the..."
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"Hide on the House Floor...because I'm going to park right next to your desk and ream you a new @#$@#@# each session day until I leave that place."
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Followed by another of Marino's legislator/work related text messages to Rep Manoogian:
I have considerable respect for the electoral process. When voters choose someone to represent them, that choice should be respected. And voters should have to live with their choice for the length of the term.
That's why I oppose most recall efforts, and certainly nearly all impeachment attempts. Voters have a chance to undo their mistakes at the ballot box every two, four or six years.
But sometimes, elected officials go so completely haywire after they're elected that it is necessary to take extraordinary measures to protect the public and their colleagues.
Michigan has two such politicians sitting in the Legislature (though, technically, one is sitting in a jail cell and the other at home).
State Reps. Jewell Jones, a Democrat from Inkster, and Steve Marino, a Republican from Harrison Township, are unfit for the offices they hold.
Both have exhibited dangerous, erratic behavior that could well put the people working with them, as well as the public, at risk.
Jones was arrested earlier this year by Michigan State Police after he drove his SUV in a ditch. The video shows a a drunken Jones resisting arrest. An officer had to wrestle him to the ground to subdue him. A gun he had no permit to carry was found in his vehicle.
Jones, who repeatedly violated his bail agreement, remains in custody in Livingston County awaiting a mental health evaluation. While he's been stripped of his committee assignments, he's still a member of good standing of the House. And if he is ever sprung from jail, he could walk into the Capitol and take his seat. If that happens, word to his fellow reps: Keep an eye on him.
Marino also was relieved of his committee duties when a fellow representative, Democrat Mari Manoogian of Birmingham, accused him of stalking and harassing her after their brief romantic relationship broke up.
Manoogian produced emails and texts she says are from Marino that are simply awful. Screen shots saved by Manoogian and used to get a personal protection order against her ex-boyfriend show him expressing his wish that her car blow up on the expressway.
He also says he intends to make it his "life mission to destroy" Manoogian, and advised her to "hide on the House floor."
Pretty darn scary stuff for a young woman to face in the workplace.
The Ingham County prosecutor decided this week not to charge Marino for the threats. He must be escorted to and from the House floor, but hasn't been showing up since the scandal broke.
How long he'll stay away is uncertain.
The answer should be forever.
If there were ever two lawmakers who merited a forced removal from office, Jones and Marino are them. Their presence on the legislative rolls is an embarrassment to Michigan.
Democratic and Republican House leaders should come together to begin expulsion proceedings against the two. It would be a fine bipartisan effort that wouldn't change the partisan balance of power in the House. And too bad if it did.
The physical return of Marino and Jones to the Capitol would make it a hostile environment, and quite possibly a dangerous one. Get rid of them before they go off their nut and do some serious damage.
Discrepancies, derogatory texts by Marino mark Michigan police inquiry into alleged abuse
Michigan State Police said state Rep. Mari Manoogian denied Rep. Steve Marino ever physically harmed her, but a statement Manoogian filed with a court days after speaking with police outlines a specific allegation of physical abuse.
Marino also initially told police Manoogian, with whom he'd previously had a romantic relationship, never asked him to stop texting her until September. However, text messages he later provided to police show Manoogian repeatedly asked him to stop contacting her weeks earlier.
These two discrepancies are included in Michigan State Police files tied to a criminal investigation after Manoogian accused Marino in September of physical, verbal and emotional abuse.
Ingham County prosecutors relied on those files to determine earlier this week there was not enough evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Marino criminally stalked or harassed Manoogian. Marino has denied any misconduct.
Manoogian told an Ingham County judge that Marino chased her around an apartment and held her in a "hug" against her will until she cried. The judge issued a personal protection order.
The investigative file includes hundreds of texts between the two lawmakers. Marino repeatedly belittles and berates Manoogian, while she infrequently insults him. Marino's texts frequently use derogatory or inappropriate language — aimed at Manoogian's ancestry, women, people with intellectual disabilities, Asian people, Black people and others.
"If you went to the Asian caucus, you’d go chill with the little people," Marino texted at one point this summer.
In September, after Marino calls her "stupid," Manoogian says he's mean and adds, "honestly, why the f--- do we talk?"
“Because … you are dumb and decided to date in the worst possible work environment known to mankind … and while I hate you, I hate everyone else more," Marino responded.
Manoogian at times also used derogatory language to refer to people with intellectual disabilities.
In reference to someone he knows, Marino texted Manoogian he can't believe the person had sex with "a black chick with a confederate flag in his room.” Manoogian responded, "that is truly god s---."
Both also belittle members of their own political parties.
The Free Press obtained the records Thursday after filing a request with the prosecutor's office. Although the Free Press filed a similar request with the Michigan State Police in September, the police stated the records are still not available for release.
Shanon Banner, a spokeswoman for the Michigan State Police, did not answer questions about the apparently contradictory statements noted in the investigative files.
"We don’t comment on or offer opinions about witness statements. The report is the full accounting of this investigation and speaks for itself," Banner said.
She referred additional comment to the Ingham County Prosecutor's Office. Prosecutors did not immediately answer additional questions emailed Thursday.
In a statement, Manoogian did not dispute sending inappropriate texts, but she explained they were part of her efforts to protect herself from Marino's ongoing abuse.
“Each of the conversations referenced is one that begins with Steve saying something racist, disparaging about a protected class or simply downright horrible, and me, a victim of domestic abuse, attempting to diffuse the situation to protect myself from further harassment by placating my abuser," Manoogian said in a statement provided by her lawyer.
"Once again, Steve is exacting his abuse — this time doing it publicly for all to see — making good on his promise ‘to make it [his] life mission to destroy [me].’”
Manoogian's lawyer declined to comment about why the police report does not reference the specific allegation of abuse outlined in her client's statement to a judge.
Marino's lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment. He has previously stated Marino's texts were taken out of context and thanked prosecutors earlier this week after they decided not to charge his client.
Discrepancies in the report
Manoogian, D-Birmingham, said in a statement on Sept. 21 that Marino, R-Harrison Township, repeatedly abused her after the pair ended their brief relationship in 2019. Marino later confirmed the pair dated but denied any misconduct.
Manoogian first approached House Speaker Jason Wentworth, R-Farwell, about text messages on Sept. 14, police records show. The same day, the speaker, Manoogian and House Democratic Leader Donna Lasinski, D-Scio Township, met with Michigan State Police.
Manoogian shared text messages where Marino said he would make it his life's mission to destroy her. She later provided more texts where Marino calls her a "f---ing c---" and a "parasite" before saying "hope your car explodes" on the way to the statehouse.
“Rep. MANOOGIAN has had numerous physical reactions to the stress caused by the threats/harassment from Rep. MARINO. She feels freezing cold even though it is summer, her hands will shake uncontrollably, her hair has fallen out, her weight has fluctuated up and down dramatically, and she has had trouble sleeping,” the police report states.
“She is angry. She was scared prior to coming forward. She wants the threats and harassment to stop. She wants her life back.”
In the same section of the report, the police investigator states Manoogian, "denied him ever physically harming her."
However, Manoogian outlines a specific instance of alleged physical abuse in a statement she filed Sept. 17 with an Ingham County judge in order to justify the need for the personal protection order.
"Steve has emotionally and verbally abused me relentlessly. He also physically abused me. I do not like hugs, I am not a touchy-feely person. Steve knows this. He chased me around his apartment and held me against my will in a 'hug' until I cried,” she stated.
Hours after Wentworth and Michigan State Police's Sept. 14 meeting with Manoogian, they also met with Marino. The MSP investigator explained the allegations against him and said a criminal investigation could occur.
“I further explained to Rep. Marino this all stemmed from unwanted messages he had sent to Rep. Manoogian. Rep. Marino seemed confused and stated the first time he had been advised by Rep. Manoogian to ‘NOT’ contact him was on today’s date," the police report states.
But texts later provided to police by Marino and Manoogian directly contradict his statement.
On Aug. 4, after Marino texted Manoogian "you don't know s--- about election/voting law," Manoogian texted back, "seriously just f---ing stop." Marino persists, saying Manoogian is "always scheming" and a "hackkkkkkk."
Minutes later, Manoogian says, "can you please just leave me alone."
"I thought we were at that point Friday … then you texted Saturday," Marino responds, referencing a previous text conversation where he called her dumb and said he was laughing at her.
"Then I got thinking … and this is much more enjoyable … and I cannot wait for work to start again,” Marino texted, along with a laughing face emoji.
Police are aware of the texts, but determined that because Manoogian later responds to Marino that the tenor of the conversation "appears to be cordial."
Ingham County 30th Circuit Judge Lisa McCormick granted the protection order, which precludes Marino from being in most areas with Manoogian. He is allowed on the House floor and in his legislative office with an escort, but he has avoided floor votes in the weeks since Manoogian's public accusation.
Wentworth removed Marino from all of his legislative committees after speaking with Manoogian. Wentworth, a former military police officer, also spoke with the Michigan State Police before informing Marino of the allegations and his decision to nix his committee assignments, state records show.
Although prosecutors declined to bring charges, a spokesman for Wentworth said earlier this week there were no immediate plans to restore Marino to his committees.
The text messages
Marino and Manoogian exchanged hundreds of text messages between late July and mid-September, months after the end of their relationship.
While at times the pair appear to use nicknames and exchange banter that could be considered playful, Marino repeatedly makes hurtful comments toward Manoogian and she repeatedly says that she hates him.
Texts Marino sent to Manoogian include:
“You’re the dumb white chick” who gets killed in a movie because “you’re very impressionable.”
"Good news, you're not re---ded," referencing a derogatory word for someone with an intellectual disability.
“Even half-re---ded, I’m a Jew with my money.”
“If you can’t capitalize on liberal Hollywood Jews then you have bigger concerns.”
Calling her a "circus midget" and a "garden gnome."
After Marino shared a picture of a grocery delivery person and Manoogian said, “oh, she is definitely a sex worker,” Marino later responded, "wish we could go back to the days when you’d be property along with the help."
“Are you on the sauce or something? Naturally, you’re not remotely this lame, boring and just, ‘if I hit her with my car, would it be a favor?’"
Repeatedly refers to Manoogian's ancestral country of Armenia as "Narnia," a fictional place referenced in "The Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe." At one point she responds, "I actually describe it as Narnia" and "so that checks out."
"For a while, I thought like you did… but I realized that I’d rather be in my shoes than yours. You won’t have time to make the changes necessary to have a fulfilling life. Whereas, I do."
“I don’t think it’s really a secret that I despise my party…I just hate yours more.
“I view my party as stupid and your party as naïve…your party…on the other hand, out to know better…But would follow a Pride Parade over a cliff if the polling said so."
Manoogian at least three times also used "r----ded' in texts to Marino and at one point in late August texted, "I love f---ing with you."
By September, the tone of many of the texts is markedly different.
"I hate you so much," Manoogian texted Marino.
"You hate me because you platonically love me and I'm leaving," Marino texted back.
"Nah, I just hate you hate you," Manoogian responds.
Prosecutors won't charge Rep. Marino with stalking after Rep. Manoogian alleged abuse
Ingham County prosecutors are not charging Macomb County Rep. Steve Marino with stalking in connection to text messages sent to state Rep. Mari Manoogian, a former romantic partner who accused Marino of domestic abuse.
Sarah Pulda, lead prosecutor of the Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence and Crimes Against Children division, confirmed Tuesday she determined charges were not warranted.
"We are unable to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt," Pulda said.
Pulda confirmed the Michigan State Police submitted a case to the Ingham County Prosecutor's Office requesting stalking charges. In Michigan, stalking and harassment are essentially the same under criminal law, she said.
Mike Rataj, an attorney representing Marino, said his client had no comment but he thanked prosecutors.
"We applaud the Ingham County prosecutor for making the right decision. Clearly, there were no facts to support a stalking charge," Rataj said.
Kelly McClintock, the attorney representing Manoogian, declined to comment.
Manoogian, D-Birmingham, said in September that Marino, R-Harrison Township, had repeatedly threatened and harassed her after the pair broke up in 2019. Marino confirmed the relationship but denied the abuse allegations, calling them "nothing more than politically motivated character assassination."
Manoogian filed a report with the Michigan State Police and obtained a personal protective order from a Lansing judge after submitting a request that included copies of several text messages
In the messages, Marino berated Manoogian, at times using profanity and telling her he hoped her car exploded.
"I'm making it my life mission to destroy you," Marino said to Manoogian in an undated text message, according to Ingham County court records.
Rataj has vowed to challenge the personal protective order. McClintock said Tuesday she would not speak about the decision to not pursue criminal charges until ongoing legal proceedings related to the personal protective order are resolved.
House Speaker Jason Wentworth, R-Farwell, removed Marino from his committee assignments in September after learning about Manoogian's allegations. Marino is allowed to vote on the House floor as long as he is supervised by sergeants at arms, but he has not done so since being removed.
A Wentworth spokesman said Monday there are currently no plans to restore Marino's committee assignments.
Macomb County lawmaker won’t face charges over alleged threatening texts
Case is closed unless additional information is submitted
Prosecutors will not charge a Macomb County lawmaker after an investigation into allegations from a fellow lawmaker who said he sent her threatening text messages following their breakup.
The head of Ingham County’s sexual assault/domestic violence unit reviewed an investigative report into Harrison Township Republican Rep. Steve Marino submitted by Michigan State Police to Prosecutor Carol Siemon’s office in late September.
Sarah Pulda, lead prosecutor of the Sexual Assault & Domestic Violence and Crimes Against Children division, confirmed Tuesday she determined charges were not warranted.
“We are unable to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt,” Pulda was quoted by the Detroit Free Press as saying.
Marino’s attorney, Michael Rataj, told The Macomb Daily on Tuesday he agrees with the prosecutor’s decision. He had vowed to aggressively challenge the case.
“There are zero facts to warrant any kind of crime,” Rataj said.
When contacted by The Oakland Press Monday, Kelly McClintock, Manoogian’s lawyer, said she would not comment until pending legal proceedings are resolved.
MSP began investigating allegations against Marino earlier this month after Birmingham Democratic Rep. Mari Manoogian told House leadership that the 31-year-old Marino had sent her threatening texts. Marino was immediately removed from his committee assignments.
Manoogian, 29, obtained a personal protection order against Marino shortly after reporting the incident to state police. Marino has not been on the House floor since and now needs an escort if he wishes to enter the House floor or the House Office Building.
The term-limited Marino was accused of domestic abuse made by Manoogian after what she described as a volatile relationship that ended in a flurry of intimidating text messages.
The pair had a personal relationship that ended more than a year ago. In the months that followed, Marino sent a series of texts to her. She filed for a personal protection order that was granted.
According to a court filing to support the PPO, Manoogian said the texts contained threats such as he hoped her “car explodes on the way in,” and “you’re truly the worst human being I’ve ever met…just a parasite.”
Marino has said the allegations against him amount to “character assassination.”
A former lobbyist and Macomb County commissioner, Marino was first elected to the state house in 2016. He was re-elected three times.
No charges for state lawmaker Marino
The Ingham County’s Domestic Violence Unit has reviewed a report into Harrison Twp. RepublicanRep. Marino
LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - Prosecutors will not charge a state lawmaker after an investigation into allegations of threats from a fellow representative.
The head of Ingham County’s Domestic Violence Unit has reviewed a report into Harrison Township Republican Representative Steve Marino. Troopers began investigating Marino after Birmingham Democratic Rep. Mari Manoogian told house leaders that he had sent her threatening texts after they broke up.
Without comment, the Ingham County Prosecutor’s Office has denied prosecution. The case is now considered closed unless more information or evidence is submitted.
Michigan Rep. Steve Marino won’t face charges over allegations of domestic abuse
INGHAM COUNTY, Mich. – The Ingham County prosecutor will not seek charges against Harrison Township State Representative Steve Marino.
Marino was stripped of his committee assignments in November after a female legislator said they had a “volatile” personal relationship that included domestic abuse and threats.
Rep. Mari Manoogian sought a personal protection order last month after alleging domestic abuse. The protection order was granted from the Ingham County Circuit Court.
Michigan State Police are investigating angry text messages that Marino sent to Manoogian. Both individuals said they were in a personal relationship that ended in 2019.
State police submitted a report to the Ingham County Prosecutor’s Office last month and has now decided that no charges against Marino are warranted.
Manoogian deferred comment to her attorney. Her attorney declined to comment and said there are still legal proceedings and they aren’t commenting until they are resolved.
Marino did not respond to Local 4′s request for comment.
Ingham County prosecutor won't charge Rep. Marino after alleged text threats
Lansing — The Ingham County Prosecutor's Office will not prosecute Harrison Township Republican Rep. Steve Marino after an investigation into allegations from a fellow lawmaker who said Marino sent her threatening text messages following their breakup.
An initial investigative report by Michigan State Police was submitted to Ingham County Prosecutor Carol Siemon's office in late September.
The chief of the county's sexual assault/domestic violence unit reviewed the report and denied prosecution in a decision that should be logged into the county's record system later Monday, said Scott Hughes, a spokesman for Siemon's office.
The case is considered closed until or unless additional information or evidence is submitted, Hughes said.
The prosecutor's office did not immediately disclose its reasons for denying prosecution.
Michigan State Police began investigating allegations against Marino earlier this month after Birmingham Democratic Rep. Mari Manoogian told House leadership that the 31-year-old Harrison Township Republican had sent her threatening texts. Marino was removed from his committee assignments, and the incident was reported to state police.
Manoogian, a 29-year-old Birmingham Democrat, obtained a personal protection order against Marino shortly after reporting the incident to state police. Marino has not been on the House floor since and now needs an escort if he wishes to enter the House floor or the House Office Building.
Marino has said the allegations against him amount to "character assassination."
In her PPO petition, Manoogian told a judge that the couple had dated for about four months in late 2019. She said Marino began acting threateningly toward her in early 2020.
"Face to face and over text, Steve began threatening me and harassing me," Manoogian wrote in a statement attached to her PPO petition. "It has escalated to a point where I fear for my safety and for Steve's own safety."
She also attached screenshots of text messages to the PPO request in which Marino said he hoped Manoogian's car exploded on the way into Lansing and the he would make it his "life mission to destroy" Manoogian. In another text, Marino said that she should "hide on the House floor."
"... because I'm going to park right next to your desk and ream you a new ---hole each session day until I leave that place," he wrote, according to the screenshot.
Marino's lawyer has said the text messages were taken out of context.
Lawmaker Won't Face Charges Over Alleged Threatening Texts
Prosecutors will not charge a lawmaker after an investigation into allegations from a fellow lawmaker who said he sent her threatening texts following their breakup
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Prosecutors will not charge a Detroit-area lawmaker after an investigation into allegations from a fellow lawmaker who said he sent her threatening text messages following their breakup.
The head of Ingham County’s sexual assault/domestic violence unit reviewed an investigative report into Harrison Township Republican Rep. Steve Marino submitted by Michigan State Police to Prosecutor Carol Siemon’s office in late September. The official denied prosecution, said Scott Hughes, a spokesman for Siemon’s office.
The prosecutor’s office did not immediately disclose its reasons for denying prosecution, The Detroit News reported.
The case is considered closed until or unless additional information or evidence is submitted, Hughes said.
Michigan State Police began investigating allegations against Marino earlier this month after Birmingham Democratic Rep. Mari Manoogian told House leadership that the 31-year-old Harrison Township Republican had sent her threatening texts. Marino was removed from his committee assignments, and the incident was reported to state police.
Manoogian, 29, obtained a personal protection order against Marino shortly after reporting the incident to state police. Marino has not been on the House floor since and now needs an escort if he wishes to enter the House floor or the House Office Building.
Marino has said the allegations against him amount to “character assassination.”
Birmingham Democrat alleges GOP lawmaker sent threatening text messages after relationship ended
Post intimate relationship between lawmakers has become increasingly volatile, Manoogian says
DETROIT – A personal protection order asked for and granted to Michigan Rep. Mari Manoogian (D-Birmingham) contains two text messages from Rep. Steve Marino (R-Harrison Township).
The first appears to show Marino angry that Manoogian won’t help him with a sick dog. He uses obscenities to describe Manoogian and then tells her he’s going to make it his life’s mission to make the young lawmaker miserable. At the same time he also sent her work related information for a committee hearing.
In the second message, he tells Manoogian she should hide on the House floor because he intends to park right next to her and ream the lawmaker. He then goes on to give her more information on an upcoming commute hearing.
Michigan lawmaker granted PPO against Rep. Steve Marino after domestic abuse allegation
Marino accused of sending threatening text messages to Rep. Mari Manoogian
LANSING, Mich. – Michigan Rep. Mari Manoogian (D-Birmingham) has secured a personal protection order against Rep. Steve Marino (R-Harrison Township).
On Wednesday, Manoogian accused Marino of domestic abuse. Sources in Lansing said the abuse allegation is not physical, rather alleged threatening text messages.
Lansing was abuzz Wednesday when Marino had all of his committee assignments stripped away with no explanation until later in the day when Manoogian sent out a statement which in part reads, “The unfortunate reality is that many people in our society have experienced domestic abuse, which often comes from someone we would never expect. None of us are immune from a volatile relationship, regardless of our career.”
House Speaker Jason Wentworth confirmed he’d pulled Marino’s committee assignments while the Michigan State Police investigate.
On Thursday, Marino responded to the allegation in a statement which in part reads, “I had a relationship that ended well over a year ago with Representative Amara Manoogian, she served in a committee i chaired. I regret the fact I went along with her request not to disclose the prior relationship to the Speaker. However I will be clear. The insinuations made are nothing more than politically motivated character assassination that I am confident will conclude as a waste of the public’s time”
Manoogian asked for a protection order, which was granted from the Ingham County Circuit Court.
Marino’s attorney, Mike Rataj, said he has not been served with paperwork, is unaware of what the claims are but will move to set it aside immediately.
Republican state rep investigated for domestic abuse claim by fellow lawmaker
