Man gets life in prison for killing two women at retirement home
DETROIT (AP) — A 67-year-old grandfather has been sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole in the killing of two women at a Detroit retirement home.
Mike Reda of Detroit was convicted this month of first-degree murder in the October shooting deaths of 59-year-old Deborah Socia and 61-year-old Maria Gonzalez.
Reda received the mandatory sentence Thursday morning in Wayne County Circuit Court.
Reda told police he had dated the same woman for several years and the two victims befriended her and frequently kept his girlfriend away from him. He said during a videotaped interrogation that he was filled with rage and alcohol when he shot them with an assault rifle.
Judge Cynthia Gray Hathaway called it a “horrible incident.” Reda told her he was “sorry for what happened.”
FBA committee to host seminar on Veterans Treatment Court
The Federal Bar Association Chapter’s Federal Disability Benefits Committee will be presenting a seminar on Veterans’ Treatment Courts (VTCs) on Tuesday, April 29, from 1:30 - 4 p.m. in Room 115 of the Levin Courthouse in downtown Detroit. VTCs are designed to assist military veterans who have become involved in the criminal justice system using a team approach that attempts to get beyond the legal problems to address the underlying physical, psychological and substance abuse issues that may have resulted in criminal conduct. This cutting edge seminar will proved a “lessons learned” approach, and will feature speakers who have become experts on VTCs, including Macomb County Circuit Judge Mark Switalski and 41B District Judge Carrie. Also slated to speak are Manette Colling and Tracy Galliday-Champagne, Veterans Justice Outreach Coordinators from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, Gail Pamukov-Miller, Past President of the Macomb County Bar Association and John E. Walus. RSVP to John E. Walus, jewalus@aol.com or 248-357-7013.
Cooley to host training session on upcoming sentencing procedures
On June 1 Michigan will begin using Correctional Offender Management Profiling for Alternative Sanctions (COMPAS) at all criminal sentencing hearings. Cooley Law School in collaboration with the Criminal Defense Resource Center will hold a training session for criminal defense attorneys, probation agents, prosecutors and judges to learn about the new procedure Friday, May 2, from noon - 2 p.m. The training session will be conducted by Jacqueline McCann, assistant defender with the State Appellate Defender Office and author of Defender Sentencing Book. The seminar will be held at Cooley’s Auburn Hills Campus, but live simulcasts will be available at Cooley’s campuses in Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids and Lansing. The seminar is free of charge, but since space is limited, advance registration is required. For registration information, contact Heather Waara at hwaara@sado.org or (313) 256-9833.
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