Majority of misdemeanor tickets issued for curfew violations during demonstrations in Detroit dismissed

Published: January 26, 2021 at 12:43 PM

Tags: Detroit, Wayne County, News, Local, Local News, Detroit News, Protests, Demonstrations, Police Brutality, Tickets, Misdemeanor Tickets, Curfew, Curfew Violations, DPD, Detroit Police Department

DETROIT – A majority of misdemeanor tickets issued during two nights of demonstrations in Detroit have been dismissed, according to officials.

The tickets were issued while Detroit was under a curfew that required people to stay off city streets after 8 p.m. unless they were going to the doctor, drug store or grocery store.

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Demonstrations against police brutality were happening across the nation and in Detroit. Including from May 31 through June 2. Dozens of demonstrators received citations for misdemeanors and others were ticketed for disruptive and/or violent behavior.

After a review, a majority of misdemeanor tickets issued on May 31 and June 2 will be dismissed. The full statement is available below.

READ: 3 days of protests in Michigan: Here’s what happened

For a short period of time last summer, the City of Detroit was under a curfew order that required people to stay off City streets after 8 pm - unless they were going to the doctor, drug store or grocery store. Large numbers of demonstrators violated the curfew on May 31, June 1 and June 2; dozens of them received appearance citations for misdemeanors related to the afterhours activity, while others were ticketed for disruptive and/or violent behavior.
In the many months since those tickets were issued, the City Law Department and Police Department have worked to study videotape and other evidence from the events in question. The departments have also considered the discretion that was exercised during that week - where, for example, citations written on June 1 were never submitted to the court, and where many protesters were not ticketed at all, despite being out after curfew. In light of that review, the Law Department is dismissing the majority of misdemeanor tickets issued on May 31 and June 2. Although certain cases from these two dates will be pursued, the City believes it is best to dismiss the vast majority of citations.
Corporation Counsel Lawrence Garcia

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Majority of misdemeanor tickets issued for curfew violations during demonstrations in Detroit dismissed

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Kayla Clarke