LIVONIA (AP) - A judge said protesters have appeared at his suburban Detroit home after he released a man from jail in the shooting of a police officer who died in an alleged case of domestic violence.
Wayne County Judge Lawrence Talon also criticized Detroit police Chief James Craig, who called him "cowardly" for lowering Eddie Johnson's bond.
"When government officials make personal attacks on judges ... it's a threat to the independence of the judiciary, and as such it's a threat to democracy," Talon said.
Johnson is charged with murder in the 2019 death of Detroit Sgt. Elaine Williams. He was being held in jail without bond until Talon on April 1 said he could be released for medical reasons. He was required to post 10% of a $100,000 bond.
Talon denied a prosecutor's request last Friday to raise the bond to $250,000. The judge said there's evidence that Johnson may have been shot first by Williams.
"I'm just saying when you look at the likelihood of conviction, they could come up with any number of possible verdicts," Talon said, referring to a jury.
Domestic violence is a "terrible thing," but it doesn't automatically mean that the accused person is a threat to the general public, the judge said.
Mark Young, president of the Detroit Police Lieutenants and Sergeants Association, told The Detroit News that demonstrations will continue. He said he has picketed outside Talon's home in Livonia.
"This is injustice," Young said of the bond decision. "What message does this send to domestic violence victims? What message does this send to law enforcement?"
