Michigan Criminal Lawyers Blog
Judicial Vote
The Macomb County Circuit Court Judicial bench has now officially named Jean Cloud as interim Prosecutor of Macomb County. Cloud was voted in by a 14-1 vote in her favor by the Macomb County Circuit Court Judges which was conducted remotely on Zoom. She has been in the Prosecutor’s office for twenty years and had already assumed the duties within the office as now-former Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith is facing public corruption charges related to misuse of public funds. Cloud will serve out the final six months of Smith’s term before the position opens back up in the general election. Cloud has stated her intentions to not seek election as Macomb County Prosecutor once this term ends. There are seven candidates running for the position that will be available this November.
Attempt to Move Past Office Corruption
Former Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith was charged in late March with 10 separate felonies relating to the alleged misuse of money forfeited to Macomb County. This money comes from the forfeiture of drug-related money and property of criminal defendants. Smith is charged with conducting a criminal enterprise, five separate counts of embezzlement by a public official, tampering with evidence, conspiracy to commit forgery, accessory to a crime after the fact, and public office misconduct. Public corruption has been brought to the forefront in Macomb County, with over 20 different convictions already secured against former public officials for illegal activity. Cloud is looked at as a steady hand who has already assumed many responsibilities in the face of not only local corruption, but also a worldwide pandemic.
What’s Next?
The elections in November will be where Macomb County residents can demand change as to who represents them in office. As stated above, Cloud does not intend to run for a full term as Macomb County Prosecutor. For the first time in sixteen years, there will be a newly elected prosecutor in Macomb County, as Smith had held the post since the 2004 elections. There are seven people running for the office, five democrats and two republicans. Candidates include former Waterford District Judge Jodi Debbrecht Switalski, retired Macomb County Circuit Judge Mary Chrzanowski, Macomb County Bar Association director Saima Khalil, and Chesterfield defense attorney Eva Tkaczyk. Republican candidates include Michigan State Senator Peter Lucido, and former Macomb County Assistant Prosecutor Richard John Goodman.
• Debbrecht Switalski (D) was a Macomb County Assistant Prosecutor for a period of five years from 2004-2009 before she was appointed judge in 2010 and won the next election in 2012.
• Chrzanowski (D) earned the nickname “scary Mary” from defense attorneys who often felt her heavy hand from the bench in criminal cases. She was elected in 1992 and served as a Circuit Court Judge for 24 years.
• Khalil (D) is a private attorney who also works for Lakeshore Legal Aid in Mount Clemens, a non-profit organization that helps low-income clients.
• Tkacyk (D) is a private attorney practicing out of Chesterfield primarily in the area of criminal defense. She ran for Macomb County Clerk in 2018 but was unsuccessful in her efforts.
• Lucido (R) served three years in the Michigan House of Representatives before his election to the state senate in 2018. He has served as a criminal defense attorney for nearly 30 years.
• Goodman (R) served as chief of the juvenile court division in the prosecutor’s office from 1999-2004.
Any Further Questions?
If you or a loved one has been charged with a crime or are being investigated for one in Macomb County, then it is important to speak to an experienced criminal defense attorney immediately. At Grabel & Associates, our attorneys have over 100 years of combined experience in successfully defending criminal cases all over the state of Michigan. This experience extends not only to adult cases, but also to juvenile charges. We are not a general practice firm. We are a team of criminal defense attorneys; it’s all we do. We offer a FREE consultation to anyone with questions relating to a possible or existing criminal charge against them or a loved one. Feel free to contact us on our 24/7 defense line at 1-800-342-7896. You can also contact us online or come visit us at one of our three statewide locations. We can also come to you.