DETROIT (AP) — An appeals court has thrown out the conviction of a Detroit-area man in a major drug case, saying a judge blew it when he refused to allow new trial attorneys.
Federal authorities described the drug ring as one of the largest in Detroit history.
In a 3-0 decision, the appeals court says even prosecutors urged federal Judge Stephen Murphy III to honor Earnest Proge’s request. The judge saw it as a delay tactic, although Proge’s attorneys said they weren’t prepared for trial and had been working on a plea deal. One lawyer was allowed to withdraw.
The appeals court said Murphy violated Proge’s constitutional rights in 2014. Judge Karen Nelson Moore says the facts are “sobering.”
Proge was sentenced to 30 years in prison; Carlos and Eric Powell were sentenced to life. The trio fled before the jury’s verdict but were then captured.
- Posted February 13, 2017
- Tweet This | Share on Facebook
Man wins appeal over lawyers: big drug conviction tossed
headlines Macomb
- Working to help restore no-fault safeguards
- Nessel announces new DAG opioid settlement website
- Experts to discuss AI, privacy, pregnancy post-Dobbs and more at ABA meeting
- MSHDA Board approves modification to Housing and Community Development Fund in March meeting
- Visa, Mastercard settle long-running antitrust suit over swipe fees with merchants
headlines National
- 50 Years of Service: ABA has been a ‘stalwart ally’ for LSC funding
- ACLU and BigLaw firm use ‘Orange is the New Black’ in hashtag effort to promote NY jail reform
- Biden recalls time he bluffed knowledge of torts case and why he changed his mind about civil-trial work
- Lawyers’ ‘barrage of personal attacks’ on opponents started with tissue-box toss, appeals court says
- Longtime prosecutor resigns after judge tosses him from case, citing Perry Mason-type revelations
- 24% of law students expect to work in public service, survey says