Monday, May 23, 2016

Pinkney Defense Files Brief in Michigan Supreme Court Case

Rev. Pinkney's defense team has filed a detailed amicus curiae ("friend of the court") brief in a separate case, People v. Hall (Mich SCt #150677), in the Michigan Supreme Court.

In Rev. Pinkney's own case, a panel of three judges at the Michigan Court of Appeals ordered a stay on his case until they learn the outcome of the Supreme Court case.

One of the issues in both cases is a question about the meaning of the statute under which Rev. Pinkney was charged. In the amicus brief, his defense argues persuasively that the statute was only a penalty provision, not a statute proscribing forgery. By raising this question in the amicus brief, it is anticipated that the Supreme Court will decide this issue once and for all. If the statute is only a penalty provision, then Rev. Pinkney was improperly charged under it and cannot be retried.

Meanwhile, last week the defense filed a motion requesting bond pending appeal for Rev. Pinkney, since there is no telling when the Supreme Court case will be decided. Please donate if you can so we can be ready to free Rev. Pinkney if he gets bond pending appeal!