Nessel clears trooper in May fatal shooting of Detroit motorist

LANSING – Michigan Lawyer Common Dana Nessel’s workplace has cleared a Michigan State Police trooper within the Could capturing loss of life of a Detroit motorist.

After investigating the case, “the division decided that the Michigan State Police trooper acted in self-defense and in protection of others and won’t be submitting expenses,” Nessel’s workplace mentioned in an Oct. 22 information launch.

Video from the patrol automotive and trooper’s body-worn digital camera confirmed Stephen Mason, 41, shot the trooper 3 times earlier than the trooper fatally shot Mason throughout a battle following a Could 16 site visitors cease close to the Lodge Freeway, the discharge mentioned.

Family and friends of Mason had questioned police accounts of the deadly capturing after the incident, saying a shootout with police could be out of character for Mason, a talented tradesman who made a dwelling reworking bogs and kitchens and was the carpenter to construct the 30-foot-tall Kwanzaa kinara candle holder utilized in neighborhood festivities every December at Campus Martius in Detroit.

In line with the discharge from Nessel’s workplace, Mason and the trooper struggled to realize management of a revolver that fell to the bottom as Mason exited his car. Mason gained management of the weapon and shot the trooper 3 times, “twice at shut vary within the chest and as soon as within the collarbone,” the discharge mentioned. The 2 bullets fired into the soldier’s chest had been stopped by the soldier’s physique armor however did draw blood, whereas the third bullet required surgical removing from the soldier’s higher torso, the discharge mentioned.

Because the battle continued, the soldier, who was not named, was capable of unholster his service revolver and shoot Mason 3 times, killing him immediately, the discharge mentioned.

Gregory McKenzie, deputy CEO of a Detroit group that gives martial arts coaching and cultural enrichment to youth and adults, and a buddy of Mason who had spoken out concerning the deadly capturing, issued an announcement late Oct. 22 saying he had reviewed the police video and that he expects he and an legal professional could have extra to say concerning the incident and the AG’s report within the coming days.

“Whereas there are not any excellent victims, and Stephen shot the officer, there are vital particulars uncared for on this press launch that we wish to focus on to refute the AG’s narrative,” McKenzie mentioned within the emailed assertion.

The officer stopped Mason’s car close to the Lodge Freeway in Wyoming after figuring out the car was rushing and had no insurance coverage, the discharge mentioned. When Mason confirmed his car registration, the officer misplaced his grip on the shape and drove it underneath the car, the discharge mentioned. The gun fell someplace on Mason’s individual after the officer requested him to choose up the registration type and ordered him to get out of the car, the discharge mentioned.

Nessel’s workplace is being requested to evaluation all shootings involving MSP officers underneath a controversial coverage launched in late 2024 by Col. James Grady, the MSP director.

Leonard Mungo, a Bingham Farms legal professional representing Mason’s family and friends who couldn’t instantly be reached for remark, had known as for a particular prosecutor to make any charging selections within the case.

Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or pegan@freepress.com.