The Michigan Court of Appeals has denied an application for leave to appeal from Raulie Casteel, 54, currently incarcerated at Lakeland Correctional Facility in Coldwater, according to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.
Casteel is serving a sentence of up to 40 years’ incarceration for the 2012 random-target spree shootings along interstate highway I-96 in Ingham, Livingston, Oakland and Shiawassee counties.
Casteel was convicted of 25 felonies by either plea or jury in 2014; one count of Terrorism, twelve counts of Felony Firearm, one count of Carrying a Weapon with Unlawful Intent, one count of Discharging a Firearm from a Vehicle, one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, eight counts of Assault with Intent to Commit Gross Bodily Harm Less than Murder, and one count of Assault with Intent to Commit Murder.
Following failed attempts at traditional appeals, Casteel filed a motion for relief from judgement, asserting ineffectiveness of his own counsel in not asserting on his behalf an insanity defense.
After the trial court denied the motion, Casteel filed for appeal at the Court of Appeals, which remanded the case back to trial court to hear the motion.
The trial court heard extensive proceedings throughout 2022 into early 2023, and issued an opinion finding defense counsel was not ineffective. Upon issuance of this opinion, the Court of Appeals denied the application for leave to appeal on March 13.
“It is important for the safety of the public at-large that these convictions and sentences remain in place, and here the Court of Appeals agreed with our position that Casteel had adequate representation at trial,” said Nessel. Casteel’s crime spree struck fear into Michigan motorists across one of our most populous corridors, and we are relieved this dangerous offender will remain behind bars.”
Casteel remains incarcerated in the custody of the Michigan Department of Corrections. His earliest release date is November 5, 2030.
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