State Roundup . . .

East Lansing
Probe clears coaches after player’s complaint
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — An internal Michigan State University investigation has cleared two coaches of any wrongdoing after a former player said one of them intentionally hit her with balls.

Outfielder Alyssa McBride said the coach twice hit her with pitches during practice. McBride says it happened after she made unflattering comments about the struggling program. She says she was struck in the left arm and on a wrist.

The East Lansing school said in a statement Tuesday there was no indication she was intentionally targeted and no evidence of retaliatory conduct.

Ingham and Isabella County prosecutors reviewed police investigations and said in June that they declined to file charges.

McBride started 50 games this season for the Spartans and had a .371 batting average. The team's record over McBride's four years was 66-140.

Detroit
Jury awards con $1,251 for being denied wife’s hug 
DETROIT (AP) — A jury has awarded $1,251 to a convicted killer who filed a lawsuit after he was barred from touching his wife during a Michigan prison visit.

Kevin King claimed a guard was retaliating against him for past complaints when she prohibited him from embracing his wife during a 2012 visit at the Cotton prison in Jackson. They had to sit a few feet apart.

Jurors in Detroit federal court last week awarded $1 for a violation of King's First Amendment rights and $1,250 as punitive damages.

In court filings, the Corrections Department argued it was "de minimis" — no big deal — and didn't violate the couple's constitutional rights.

"It trivializes the First Amendment to allow such a minor occurrence to constitute an adverse action," Assistant Attorney General John Thurber said.

But U.S. District Judge Matthew Leitman had refused to dismiss the case before trial, saying the Kings had been deprived of their "sole form of intimacy." Some contact typically is allowed under prison policies.

The state "substantially understates the value of human contact in general and its special value to the Kings. ... It was certainly meaningful for Williams to deprive them of physical contact," the judge said, referring to prison officer Tiffaney Williams.

King, 52, is serving a life sentence for murder committed during an armed robbery in Oakland County in 1982. He has repeatedly sued the Corrections Department over his treatment in prison.

He was awarded about $1,500 after being transferred to an Upper Peninsula prison with a higher security classification — and still could collect more. King claimed the transfer was in retaliation for challenging policies on personal property behind bars.

An appeals court in June sent the case back to a federal judge in Grand Rapids to determine if the state should be hit with additional punitive damages.

In another case, a judge refused to dismiss a lawsuit over a radio. King claimed his radio was taken away for 23 days in retaliation for helping another prisoner file a grievance. The case is pending.


Gibraltar
No charges after death of man by police stun gun
GIBRALTAR, Mich. (AP) — No charges are planned following the April death of a Detroit-area man who was shocked with a police stun gun.

WDIV-TV reports the decision from the Wayne County prosecutor's office clears the officer in the death of 39-year-old David Kapuscinski of Gibraltar.

Kapuscinski was shocked after police responded to a call in Gibraltar about a domestic assault at an apartment building. Police had said the use of force was justified.

The officer was placed on leave during the investigation.

St. Joseph
Probation for man in case of urine drug test scheme
ST. JOSEPH, Mich. (AP) — A southwestern Michigan man who took money from parolees in exchange for clean urine drug tests has been sentenced.

The Herald-Palladium of St. Joseph reports Garrett Govain of Benton Harbor was placed on probation Monday for two years for obstruction of justice and received three days in jail with credit for three days served for possession of marijuana.

Berrien County Judge Gary Bruce told Govain he could have compromised the safety of others, saying: "People are less likely to hurt other people and commit crimes if they're not on drugs. We were counting on you."

Govain apologized, saying the parolees involved were from his neighborhood.

The 21-year-old worked for a prison system contractor. He was arrested in June and originally charged with two counts of obstruction of justice.


Norway
Police say man shot and wounded state troopers
NORWAY, Mich. (AP) — The case is moving forward against a man who authorities say shot and wounded two state troopers as they tried to serve a warrant at a home in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
WLUC-TV reports 49-year-old Richard Goodreau of Norway has been found competent to undergo further court proceedings. Goodreau is scheduled to make his first appearance in Dickinson County Circuit Court on Aug. 17.
He faces attempted murder and other charges. Police say the attack happened in February at a residence in Norway, about 7 miles southeast of Iron Mountain. One trooper was treated at a hospital and released, while the other sought treatment independently.

Lansing
State: Use caution when buying meat door-to-door
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan officials are urging people to use caution when purchasing meat or poultry from a door-to-door salesperson, warning that unscrupulous dealers might be selling produce that doesn't meet government standards.
The state Department of Agriculture and Rural Development issued the advisory this week, saying people should make sure products come from a reputable, approved source. They say buyers should keep all receipts and be sure to get the seller's name and address.
"Although door-to-door meat sales can offer the ease of being able to shop at home, these types of transactions can also provide an opportunity for some bad actors to take advantage of their customers," Department Director Jamie Clover Adams said in a statement. "Consumers should always do their homework before making a purchase, to safeguard their health and their pocketbooks."
The department warns people not to buy meat that's stored in an unrefrigerated vehicle or the trunk of a car. And officials note that all food must come from an approved source; have a U.S. Department of Agriculture seal of inspection; and include a complete and intact label.
Vehicles carrying meat must have a decal that's issued by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development; for 2015, the label is blue, the state said. Door-to-door meat sales also are regulated by the Michigan Home Solicitation Sales Act.
Department spokeswoman Jennifer Holton told the Detroit Free Press in an email that the department hasn't gotten any complaints or reports of illnesses.
"We've heard of increased activity with door-to-door meat sales, and wanted to ensure consumers were making informed decisions," she said.

Clio
Judge: Father can openly carry gun in child’s school
CLIO, Mich. (AP) — A Genesee County judge has ruled a father can openly carry his pistol inside his daughter's elementary school.
The Flint Journal reports that Circuit Judge Archie Hayman on Monday ruled in favor of Kenneth Herman and gun rights advocacy group Michigan Open Carry. He filed a lawsuit in March against the Clio Area School District, arguing he was denied access to Edgerton Elementary multiple times while trying to pick up his daughter because he was openly carrying his pistol.
State law allows people with concealed pistol licenses to openly carry their firearms in schools.
The district sought to have the lawsuit dismissed, citing its "fundamental misunderstanding" of Michigan law.
Hayman sided with Herman and his advocates, saying the ability to create local weapon policies is beyond the district's authority.