Judicial Misconduct
In 2018, Reginald Walker successfully argued to the Michigan Court of Appeals that his judge, Michael Hathaway, was biased, however, they refused to give him a new trial citing a technical error. He wrote a complaint to the judicial tenure committee, however, Michael Hathaway sat on that board so he never got reprimanded. His power and influence runs deep, with 10 other family members working in the same courthouse. In this section we will walk you through the power Judge Hathaway holds and how his biased comments played a large role in the wrongful conviction of Reggie.
About Judge Michael Hathaway
Who he is and how he continues to get away with it.
Who Is Judge Michael Hathaway?
1. When the officers knocked on the door the homeowner, Mr. Nettleton, answered. He immediately stepped outside shutting the door behind him. The officers stated, under oath, that when asked to enter the home Mr. Nettleton said "Come on in. I have nothing to hide." This never happened and the Taylor Police Department refuses to release the unredacted dispatch audio because they know this would prove that officers committed perjury and lied on the stand. (See transcripts).
​
2. The night Mr. Walker got arrested he was at a friends house with 7 other people, including the homeowner. When the police made their way inside the house they found 7 people standing in the living room (1 was upstairs) with drugs scattered on the ground and scales, razors, and sandwich baggies on the table. The largest portion of drugs was found behind the front door in the living room on the staircase leading upstairs. 7 other people were in that same living room and the last person was up those stairs in the bedroom. Any one of those people could have thrown the drugs. The officers failed to investigate or even consider that the drugs belonged to one of the other 7 people in the house with Mr. Walker, including the homeowner.
​
3. Talk about who was all arrested that night and how they backdated some tickets. Discuss how nate was arrested and signed drugs & money forfeiture papers but then later changed to a ticket or something.
Family Ties
2. The original officers on scene attributed the drugs to the homeowner when logging them into the system but later changed it to Reginald Walker citing that the system requires them to attribute the drugs to someone when logging them and it is common practice to go back and change it once they find out more information. This was proven to be wrong when we got information from another police department that uses the same software stating they can simply attribute it to a 'lost and found' item.
A Bias-Fueled Trial
Walker's case is the only case in Michigan History that didn't get a new trial after a judge was ruled bias.
​
If not this we can put the law that says a biased trial can never be fair thus it requires a new trial
1. The night Mr. Walker got arrested he was at a friends house with 7 other people, including the homeowner. When the police made their way inside the house they found 7 people standing in the living room (1 was upstairs) with drugs scattered on the ground and scales, razors, and sandwich baggies on the table. The largest portion of drugs was found behind the front door in the living room on the staircase leading upstairs. 7 other people were in that same living room and the last person was up those stairs in the bedroom. Any one of those people could have thrown the drugs. The officers failed to investigate or even consider that the drugs belonged to one of the other 7 people in the house with Mr. Walker, including the homeowner. (Note: The original officers on scene logged the drugs into the system as the homeowner's but later went back in and switched them to Walker. More information in section below)
2. The original officers on scene attributed the drugs to the homeowner when logging them into the system but later changed it to Reginald Walker citing that the system requires them to attribute the drugs to someone when logging them and it is common practice to go back and change it once they find out more information. This was proven to be wrong when we got information from another police department that uses the same software stating they can simply attribute it to a 'lost and found' item.
A Judges Role
Explain what the main point of a judge is
1. The night Mr. Walker got arrested he was at a friends house with 7 other people, including the homeowner. When the police made their way inside the house they found 7 people standing in the living room (1 was upstairs) with drugs scattered on the ground and scales, razors, and sandwich baggies on the table. The largest portion of drugs was found behind the front door in the living room on the staircase leading upstairs. 7 other people were in that same living room and the last person was up those stairs in the bedroom. Any one of those people could have thrown the drugs. The officers failed to investigate or even consider that the drugs belonged to one of the other 7 people in the house with Mr. Walker, including the homeowner. (Note: The original officers on scene logged the drugs into the system as the homeowner's but later went back in and switched them to Walker. More information in section below)
2. The original officers on scene attributed the drugs to the homeowner when logging them into the system but later changed it to Reginald Walker citing that the system requires them to attribute the drugs to someone when logging them and it is common practice to go back and change it once they find out more information. This was proven to be wrong when we got information from another police department that uses the same software stating they can simply attribute it to a 'lost and found' item.
News/Articles
Welcome To Taylor - Video shows police officer assaulting citizen who was charged with fleeing and obstruction of justice. Once the video was released it became apparent that the police completely lied about what happened and all charges were dropped. One of the officers on scene was charged with misconduct in the office and assault and battery.
​
​
Citations
1. Transcripts stating the nettleton said "come on in we have nothing to hide."