Photo courtesy of Carlos Osorio/Associated Press
LANSING, Mich. — Michigan Supreme Court Justice Bernstein apologized to fellow Justice, Kyra Harris Bolden, on Monday after his harsh criticism over her hiring an ex-convict to serve as a law clerk. Sources say that Harris Bolden has accepted his apology and plans to move forward.
Just days after Kyra Harris Bolden was sworn in as the newest Michigan Supreme Court Justice, Richard Bernstein had he was "disgusted" by the decision she made.
Interestingly enough, Bernstein and Harris Bolden were both nominees of the Democratic Party and appeared in ad campaigns together last autumn.
Bernstein said just a week ago, "I'm no longer talking to her. We don't share the same values."
Now, it could make Michiganders wonder just where these two civil servants stand as they strive to bring peace to their state, their land.
For clarity and perspective, the man Harris Bolden hired, Peter Martel, was released in 2008 after serving a 14-year sentence for robbing a Flint-area store and firing shots at the police. It seems he has turned his life around, obtaining a degree from Wayne State University law school and wanting to make an impact on the community.
Former Chief Justice Bridget McCormack, who departed from the court this month (Jan. 2022), told WXYZ Detroit that Martel was one of her best students when she taught at the University of Michigan.
"He's been open about his past and his regrets about it, and how he's eager to be an example for others, to show them that you don't have to be defined by your past," she said.
Since the controversy, Martel, on his own accord, decided to resign from his role stating he did not want to be a "distraction."
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