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John Morin stories
John Morin is a former Lansing resident who now lives in Holt.
The local justice system
When a person is arrested, they begin the judicial process. They obtain either a court appointed attorney, or if fortunate, they are able to afford their own legal representation. An attorney is there to give competent legal advice as to your circumstance. All attorneys, and prosecutors and judges belong to the Michigan Bar Association which allows them to practice law in the State of Michigan. It is their job to process the evidence presented by the police to determine a judgment of guilt or innocence. In my cases, I will examine actions and statements by each group, attorneys, prosecutors, and judges.
Attorneys
Edwar Zeineh: I paid Eddie a lot of money for his representation. In return he took advantage of my situation. The first time I spoke with him I had told him some of my life history, and I think he believed that I was claiming being victimized, but I wasn't, rather I was explaining that I have always fought back at unjust circumstances, and the charges we were facing were unjust and I would not bend to any deal that may be offered. Then I explained my five goals. Ten minutes later, after I left his office, my digital camera grew legs and disappeared from his desk. Then he recruited me for framing and dry walling his basement. Then I spent a few months working on the Shell gas station on Cedar and Mount Hope, only to be swindled and lied to about agreements with the City Attorney's Office regarding law suits. I was swindled on the tens of thousands I spent on rent and physically creating the dispensary at 4700 Pleasant Grove through his brother Simon. And when I tried to ask for the security deposit back, which Simon had promised previously, I was attacked by Simon, only to have three LPD officers at my house shortly later questioning me. I knew then that Eddie had sent some of his buddies with LPD to intimidate me and that if I chose to press charges on Simon, I would be arrested. It was situations like this that I put a record on all my phone calls. And then he outed the prosecutor on the phone call where they dropped the charge against me for domestic violence. This was the person I tried to call when I was being arrested for domestic violence. My thought was, Eddie, being an officer of the court could explain to the officers that Sheri was still involved in drugs and that she makes false claims while on drugs, which then might mean Sheri could get the help she needed. That is why I didn't leave home before the police arrived. She needed help. I lashed out verbally because she would not get the help she needed and that what I predicted, happened. Good job, LPD. Such a thorough investigation prior to destroying my life for a second time. Their actions on that Thanksgiving Day is why I am writing this today. As of this date, I think of Eddie as that kid who threw a can of sardines at me, from less than ten feet away he missed, not so much as an attorney. Sure, all he did was what I directed with his legal knowledge, it was my money and my life on the line. I still have a record of all the texts and phone calls on my phone, same with his brother Simon. If you don't mind having issues with Eddie like I had, he can be reached at his cell (517) 214-2182. Myself, it has taken a bit to recover and establish myself in a safer environment. The moment that I was most concerned was the day our charges were dropped. Eddie assured me that Judge Clarke would perform a wedding ceremony after the charges were dropped and the rings were bought. Then find out after the charges were dropped, I was fined $250.00 for Sheri having a positive crack cocaine drug test. That was all Eddie, but the question is, why did they lie to me? Was it because I had told Eddie that the City is liable if Sheri has any positives for drugs as they brought the predatory drug dealer to my house? It was the LPD phone Funches made all of the recordings from, and on each and every time, she was on drugs supplied by Funches.
Issa Haddad: Issa was brought in to represent Sheri. He was an out of town attorney who would be able to ask the hard questions that may hurt feelings. Lawyers do not like going after police on a witness stand and then later need that same cop; better to have someone that doesn't live in the same community do that part. On two occasions I had to have Eddie remind Issa that we were not taking plea deals, and to stop scaring Sheri into taking one. Also, I had settled my bill with Issa on the day the charges were dropped. We met before court and he told me that since there would be no preliminary examination, the final charge would be $1,000.00 less, which is what I paid. Afterwards, I can only ask if he was aware of the dirty drop [a urine test positive for drugs] and why he withheld that from me. Why did I have to discover this by way of Judge Clarke? Why did he drop the charges, with prejudice, and then bring up the dirty drop? And then when I finally settle up with Eddie, and of course there is very little record of what I paid, never received receipts, and he adds the $1,000.00 back on my bill claiming he had to cover that amount that I still owed Issa. What do you do when the lawyers you pay a lot of money to, appear to lie on important issues?
Prosecutors
Prosecutor Dunnings has had a few issues over the years. You may think that picking up Stephanie Kirby for prostitution would be his biggest, but as he related, he was trapped in a job, a marriage, that brought no pleasure. He felt that few of the LPD could truly be trusted, and that he at times shielded those he felt were wrongfully arrested with deals. His arrest may have taken a great weight off of his shoulders; you did him a favor. I would like to know his reasoning for dropping the charges against us. Did anyone, other than the police view the video, and did anyone ask about why a drug dealer on bond is giving dangerous drugs to someone who has become a subject of investigation with the LPD and ATF? Since the charges were dropped, was anyone reprimanded for the investigation or for why the cases were dismissed? Why did Eddie say to me that no one must have watched the video. If they had, they would never have given it to us. Is that a true statement that police and prosecutors withhold information that may exonerate a defendant, as in the Macon/ McCollum cases? It is sad to say that Lansing is not much different than any of the other cities being protested nowadays for out-of-control policing. And I feel that the prosecutor that handled the domestic assault against me have discussions with Eddie face to face, not good when you are on speaker phone. I thought that the least that could be done is the money charged by Judge Clarke for a phone going off in his court room should be refunded. Other than that, thank you for dropping the charges I was not guilty of.
The final prosecutor I would mention was when I went to a hearing for the air freshener. I had a valid argument and to be verbally assaulted when I presented it, way too much. He claimed no cop would violate the law, but when presented with picture proof, to yell at me that the fine officers in this county can do what ever they want, do I have a problem with that? That was over the top, and the female who conducted the hearing along with a line of lawyers with their clients along the wall outside the office could verify this account.
Judges
Judge Clarke, Eddie often spoke of becoming a District Court judge, possibly taking over your court when you retired. I haven't kept up on much, working long hours every day that seem even longer since I turned sixty-five last year. Why was I not told about Sheri's positive drug result before court? When were you aware of it? Were you planning on marrying us at any time, and if so, when did you change your mind? Leaving me financially damaged with Sheri still on drugs, what could go wrong? Did you jump on the bandwagon also and blame Funches, or did you feel maybe the police created a crime and used Funches as a means of legally robbing me? There were no winners in the rulings that day. Sheri has been affected and battles the issues she was left with. Funches has been out of prison for a while now, walking the streets of Lansing. I wonder if he reformed himself this time? Other than that, I appreciated your patience and rulings over the course of a complicated case.
Judge Canady, at pretrial I felt attempted to sway both Sheri and I to accept plea deals. By telling us repeatedly that all plea negotiations will no longer be available at the Circuit Court level if we return to District Court for a preliminary examination, seemed that you were the advocate for the prosecution. At the time of that hearing, I had not heard of any plea offers. They would not have mattered anyways. As I repeatedly told Eddie, I had no fear as the truth would set us free.
The judge I went in front of for arraignment on the domestic violence charge, when allowed to talk I expressed my concern for Sheri's welfare, and you told me to shut up. I realize that you assume that all defendants are guilty until we can prove otherwise - that is why the prisons are filled. I am thankful that she survived, whether it was self- inflicted or by the hands of others, we will never know since there was little investigation. She more than anyone suffered the most for actions of the LPD.
The justice system is important for society. We need to be protected from predators. But in my neighborhood, it had gotten so bad, with the police intentionally altering police reports with lies and destroying evidence on me, failing to solve any crimes in my neighborhood, the racism and treatment of others led me to call and state to the clerk for jury duty that in my neighborhood, I can't tell the cops from the crooks. For that I have been given a lifetime ban for jury duty. Now, don't everyone run to the phone. We need real citizens to sit on juries and determine guilt or innocence. Just as the George Floyd trial is going on right now, we need to know that citizens in Lansing can also have accountability.
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