High court judge's apology • Antisemitic threat prompts resignation at Richmond school • Rape suspect charged

TUESDAY NEWS HIT - A Michigan Supreme Court justice apologized to a fellow justice Monday for harshly criticizing her hiring of an ex-convict to serve as a law clerk.

Justice Richard Bernstein issued a statement saying he apologized to Justice Kyra Harris Bolden in person at the Hall of Justice and that she accepted his apology.

"I regret overstepping Justice Bolden’s hiring process and should not have disturbed her ability to lead her Chambers," Bernstein said.

Bolden had hired Pete Martel, 48, who served 14 years in prison after robbing a Flint-area store and shooting at police officers, The Detroit News reported. He was released in 2008, changed his life and obtained a degree from Wayne State University law school.

Bernstein also apologized to Martel.

"Mr. Martel is not an elected official and my actions invited people into his life in a way that he had not signed up for and he deserved more consideration," Bernstein said.

"I am committed to working with Justice Bolden in the coming years to advance our many shared values, including immediately working to expand opportunities in the legal field for those who have repaid their debts to society," the statement continued.

Bolden said last week that she accepted Martel’s resignation after Bernstein’s criticism.

"He did not want to be a distraction or in any way divert the court from its important work," Bolden said.

"I’m all about second chances," Bernstein had told the Detroit News. "But there are certain jobs you should never be allowed to have after you shoot at a police officer, and one of them is clerking for the highest court in the state."

He added: "I’m completely disgusted by this."

Bolden finished third in the Nov. 8 election for two seats on the Supreme Court but was subsequently picked by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to fill a vacancy. She is Michigan’s first Black female justice.

— Courtesy of the Associated Press

Suspect who was attacked in teen rape case charged

The suspect in a teen rape case that led to him being attacked by a mob of angry family members before his arrest has been charged. Kahari Wright, 37, was arraigned on first-degree criminal sexual conduct of a minor, home invasion, and a non-fatal shooting.

Wright also had an arrest warrant that goes back to mid-November, well before the alleged crime now in question. Court records show charges of home invasion, assault with intent to murder, assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder, and weapons charges - all from October 29th of last year.

Sources say that mid-November arrest warrant could have kept Wright behind bars had he been cuffed and lodged.

Wright's mugshot shows he is still sporting the injuries he sustained during the attack, including cuts, bruises, and swollen eyes. 

Artist converting childhood home into community center fighting Land Bank

After a difficult childhood on Detroit's east side, a local artist is teaching and mentoring and helping in his neighborhood - but now, he needs a little help himself.  He wants to transform his childhood home into a community center but he's running into some road blocks.

Matthew "Jaye" Green bought his childhood home from the Detroit Land Bank back in 2019. He had big hopes for this space, which is near Mack and Bewick. His ultimate goal is for the space to be all about art and would be called The Bando.

But those hopes of rehabbing his grandmother's old home - haven't taken shape. There was Covid - contractors and funding were hard to find. Still he tried - the walls are a workshop for local artists. But without plumbing or a kitchen - no furnace or water heater, Green is out of compliance with the purchase agreement - and the Land Bank is reclaiming the property.

A spokesperson for the Detroit Land Bank says they don't want to take the home but it's been 3 and a half years, he's been given multiple extensions - and Green failed to make the repairs required in the purchase agreement. To donate and help Jaye Green, go HERE to find the Go FundMe page.

‘Disgusting’ antisemitic note caused staff to quit Richmond High school

Two separate threats in one week has Richmond school district parents feeling uneasy. The first school threat was deemed credible and resulted in school being closed for a week, reopening Monday. A second threat was not deemed credible and school remained open.

Some parents have concerns about how they were notified, as well as the number of teachers leaving the district. Several parents sounded off on the school board during a Monday meeting. Even the Superintendent said he's in uncharted waters.

"In my almost 30 years of education, I have never experienced a threat so disgusting as the one that was left in our school," Brian Walmsley said. A note with antisemitic writing on it that was found in the middle school threatened to kill a specific staff member, who has since quit.

As a result, the school has closed for an entire week. Police are now involved and analyzing the threats as submitted evidence. Class continues Tuesday.

8 Mile TV show: Eminem and 50 Cent working on series

The 2002 movie 8 Mile told the fictionalized story of Eminem. Now, 21 years later, rapper 50 Cent reveals he and Eminem are collaborating on an 8 Mile TV series. In an interview with BigBoyTV on Friday, 50 Cent said they are in the process of adapting the semi-autobiographical film for television.

"We're in motion," 50 cent said in the interview. "It's gonna be big. I've been working. You know, I ain't got no duds."

According to 50 Cent (real name Curtis Jackson), it didn't take a lot of convincing for Eminem to create the show. But don't think it's going to be a remake of the film. 50 Cent said it will be more along the lines of Bel-Air, the dramatized reimagining of the 1990s sitcom.

The idea behind the show is that it would start with a young Eminem and he's already got a strategy for what the show would look like. "I want to be able to show and offer a lot more details, things that you would say in an interview or different things that you've already used that you put out there and stuff like that," he said.

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Daily Forecast

Expect a chance of snow flurries Tuesday along with plenty of cloud cover and cold temperatures. We'll climb above freezing for a few hours this afternoon before conditions further warm as the week goes on. There is some potential for rain Thursday.

What else we're watching

1. Traffic deaths slipped in the first nine months of 2022 after they showed a spike in incidents over the past two years. The Associated Press reports the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said deaths were down .2% over the same period in 2021.
2. CPR demonstrations will be given on The Noon today, with demos for both adults and children. Check in at 12:40 to see the life-saving help.
3. The Mega Millions jackpot has climbed to $1.1 billion, the 3rd largest in game history. The next drawing is Tuesday at 11 p.m.
4. The Detroit Fire Department put out a blaze that displaced two families on Shiawassee. Smoke was seen billowing out of the building when firefighters arrived, though no one was hurt.
5. A teen arrested for speeding in a stolen car in Eastpointe was in possession of a ghost gun, Michigan State Police said.

Police: Single bullet struck teacher's hand, chest after 6-year-old opened fire

Newport News authorities said Monday that a wounded elementary school teacher helped usher other students out of her classroom after a 6-year-old boy intentionally shot her last week.

The Newport News Police Department said the shooting happened at Richneck Elementary School around 2 p.m. on Friday. The school is located about an hour north of Norfolk.

In a news conference Monday, Police Chief Steve Drew said the teacher, Abby Zwerner, 25, was leading a first-grade class when the 6-year-old pulled out the gun and opened fire. Drew said the shooting was not accidental and was part of an altercation. No students were injured.

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