Woman linked to child pornography ring enters sex case plea
BATTLE CREEK, Mich. (AP) — A woman who authorities say was involved in a child pornography ring has pleaded no contest in a sexual assault case involving an infant girl.
The Battle Creek Enquirer reports 33-year-old Talia Furman of Springfield entered the plea Tuesday to first-degree criminal sexual conduct and is scheduled to be sentenced April 29 in Calhoun County Circuit Court. A no contest plea isn’t an admission of guilt, but is treated as such for sentencing.
Furman appeared with her attorney, Justin McCarthy, to enter the plea.
Furman and her boyfriend, 32-year-old Matthew Toole of Battle Creek, were arrested last year on charges including sexual assault. He earlier pleaded no contest and is awaiting sentencing this month. They’re also among several charged with conspiring to kidnap and kill a child in Branch County.
GOP leader trashes Whitmer’s business, income tax changes
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A top Republican lawmaker is strongly criticizing Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s proposal to raise taxes on some businesses while providing relief to retirees and low-income workers.
Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey said Wednesday that “taking actions like that would be doubling down on stupid.”
The Democratic governor outlined the tax overhaul in her budget Tuesday. It’s an attempt to reverse parts of a tax rewrite enacted by her Republican predecessor.
Shirkey says Michigan shouldn’t return to “old” tax policies and must stay focused “on what we’ve been doing the last eight years.” He also says drivers cannot “absorb” Whitmer’s proposed 45-cents-a-gallon fuel tax hike, though he agrees $2.5 billion is needed to fix the roads.
Whitmer says the business tax increase would offset lost revenue from aiding seniors and low-wage workers.
Man sentenced for fatal shooting of Detroit police officer
DETROIT (AP) — A 44-year-old man will spend 36 to 60 years in prison for the fatal shooting of a Detroit police officer.
Decharlos Brooks was sentenced Wednesday in Wayne County Circuit Court. He pleaded guilty last month to second-degree murder.
Glenn Doss was in a patrol car when he was shot in the head in January 2018 while responding with his partner to a domestic violence complaint on Detroit’s eastside. The 25-year-old Doss died several days later at a hospital.
Police have said that Brooks fired shots at other police vehicles.
Brooks asked the judge Wednesday for a lesser sentence, saying his “mental state was definitely off balance” when Doss was shot.
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