JACKSON (AP) — The Michigan Court of Appeals says a four-year prison sentence for a polite bank robber was unreasonable.
The court has granted a new hearing to James Gailey. Guidelines suggested a minimum sentence of 10 months in jail, but Jackson County Judge John McBain went much higher.
Gailey pleaded guilty to robbing a bank just two days before Christmas in 2014. He told a teller to put money into a cloth bag. Gailey didn’t have a weapon, and he apologized several times. He was accused of robbing the same bank months later.
The appeals court says the judge failed to adequately justify the minimum four-year sentence. The same punishment still is possible at the next hearing. Gailey has been in prison for 2½ years.
- Posted May 28, 2018
- Tweet This | Share on Facebook
Prison sentence set aside for polite bank robber

headlines Macomb
- Macomb County Meals on Wheels in urgent need of volunteers ahead of holiday season
- MDHHS hosting three, free virtual baby showers in November and December for new or expecting families
- MDHHS secures nearly 100 new juvenile justice placements through partnerships with local communities and providers
- MDHHS seeking proposals for student internship stipend program to enhance behavioral health workforce
- ABA webinar November 30 to explore the state of civil legal aid in America
headlines National
- This Is the Moment
- ACLU and BigLaw firm use ‘Orange is the New Black’ in hashtag effort to promote NY jail reform
- BigLaw partner won’t charge his $3,250 hourly rate to defend New Jersey cities in Trump administration suits
- After second federal judge withdraws error-riddled ruling, litigants seek explanation
- 5 hallucinated cases lead federal judge to kick 3 Butler Snow lawyers off case
- Bondi files ethics complaint against federal judge who reportedly expressed concern about ‘constitutional crisis’