LIVINGSTON COUNTY, Mich. – Michigan Rep. Jewell Jones was back in court on Monday for a hearing related to his controversial arrest on suspicion of drunk driving last April.
At issue on Monday (Feb. 7) was whether a previous encounter Jones had with police should be allowed as evidence.
Jones’ attorney said Jones passed a field sobriety test when he was found asleep behind the wheel of a running vehicle in Dearborn in 2019. Jones attorney argued that the prosecution should not be able to use this new information about Jones at his upcoming trial for felony resisting arrest and misdemeanor DUI.
He did not get arrested and wasn’t charged with a crime impeding traffic. Prosecutors argue a different side, saying that the 2019 incident shows that Jones also refused to cooperate with police. Prosecuting attorneys said Jones needed to be handcuffed during the incident because he was uncooperative.
The judge ruled his past conduct was not relevant to the current case and they will keep it focused on the issue at hand.
Jones is moving forward with his defense that his April arrest was unlawful, saying troopers had no reason to question him along the side of I-96 when they were called there for a crash.
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