The preliminary examination ruling for former Michigan State Police Det. Sgt. Brian Keely will take place Thursday, Aug. 22, at 3:30 p.m. at Kentwood’s 62-B District Court. The proceedings will take place via Zoom.
To observe the preliminary examination ruling, use Meeting ID: 428 094 0961 on the Zoom mobile app or at Zoom.us. The direct link is available on the 62-B District Court’s website.
Keely faces charges of second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter.
During the proceeding, Judge Amanda Sterkenburg will decide whether there is probable cause to bind the matter over to the 17th Circuit Court for trial. At the preliminary examination on Aug. 12, Judge Sterkenburg determined she needed additional time to review evidence before ruling in the case.
The probable cause conference for former Michigan State Police Det. Sgt. Brian Keely will take place Monday, July 1, and has been stipulated to be conducted virtually by the parties. The proceeding will take place at 1 p.m. at the 62-B District Court in Kentwood.
Due to capacity restrictions, a limited number of observers will be allowed to attend the probable cause conference. Observers arriving after the capacity has been reached will be provided Zoom instructions and asked to watch virtually from another location. Cell phone use is not allowed in the 62-B District Court lobby.
To observe the probable cause conference, use the Meeting ID: 428 094 0961 on the Zoom mobile app or at Zoom.us. The direct link is available on the 62-B District Court’s website.
Keely faces charges of second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter. His arraignment on June 5 attracted a significant number of observers, and the 62-B District Court is aware of social media campaigns encouraging public attendance at the probable cause conference. All court hearings are open to the public.
Keely’s preliminary examination is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Aug. 12 and will be held in person at 62-B District Court. The in-person capacity restriction will be in place for this proceeding and a Zoom option will be available.
Kent County Office of the Defender Defense Attorney Justin McCarthy (left) and retired Judge William G. Kelly during Kentwood’s National Law Day on May 1. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)
By D.A. Reed
WKTV Contributor
The Kentwood Justice Center opened its doors to the community to celebrate National Law Day with a panel discussion and Q&A session with elected officials on May 1.
Law Day, a national day dedicated to celebrating the rule of law, was celebrated at Kentwood’s 62-B District Court with a theme of Cornerstones of Democracy: Civics, Civility and Collaboration.
Envisioned by American Bar Association president Charles S. Rhyne in 1957 and put into practice by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1958, Law Day provides an opportunity for community members to cultivate a deeper understanding of the legal profession.
Judge Amanda Sterkenburg (left) talks to DCA/Magistrate Michele White during National Law Day Monday at the Kentwood Justice Center. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)
The panel was moderated by 62-B District Court Administrator/Magistrate Michele White, with panelists including 62-B District Court Judge Amanda Sterkenburg, Kentwood City Commissioner Ron Draayer, Kentwood City Commissioner Clarkston Morgan, Deputy City Administrator Shay Gallagher, Kent County Assistant Prosecutor Courtney Panter, and Kent County Office of the Defender Defense Attorney Justin McCarthy.
One topic discussed was racial disparity in the justice system and how to eliminate that inequality.
“It all starts with equal protection,” McCarthy said, “and it all starts with everyone being treated fairly.”
The Michigan Indigent Defense Commission (MIDC) ensures the state’s public defense system is fair, cost-effective, and constitutional while simultaneously protecting public safety and accountability.
“What (the MIDC) is intended to do is to bring more dollars into the criminal justice system so that people that are appointed counsel are getting a fair shake and they are getting the same type of resources that prosecutors have,” McCarthy said.
“Inequity in the justice system is really tied to historical inequalities within our communities,” Sterkenburg said. “We need to look at it as a holistic problem and take the approach that economic, environmental, educational elements all play into what we see as disparities within the justice system.”
Kentwood Commissioner Clarkston Morgan answers a question (far right) as Kent County Defense Attorney Justin McCarthy and Judge Amanda Sterkenburg listen. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)
Translation services have helped eliminate language barriers and helped individuals feel they are being heard as counsel represents them.
“There is a real desire on the part of those of us within city government to do as much as we can to ensure that it is a fair justice system … for people who live and work within the City of Kentwood,” said Draayer. “I take real pride in that, but also as a challenge that we still have a lot of work to do.”
Also discussed was the importance of citizen collaboration and interaction with all branches of government in addressing challenges facing the community.
Your voice matters
Morgan said citizens need to understand their voice matters. “You own the community you live in. You also own the community we all engage in … be the voice of change.”
That change comes with engaging with the local community leaders.
“The best vehicle to engage with the government is to engage with your representatives,” McCarthy said. “Because that engagement then drives policies, it drives statutes, it drives ordinances that we officials work with and react to.”
Draayer agreed.
“We try to do everything we can to stress to citizens that you really do matter, and when you come and speak, we are paying attention to you.”
Demystifying the counsel chamber and rebuilding trust
Maintaining public access and using language easily understood to create transparency within the counsel chamber also was brought into the conversation.
“For my part,” said Sterkenburg, “if they are coming in to me, I am talking to them … with language that is understandable and respectful, and not from a position of authority, but from a position that we can really lift up those whom the court is here to serve.”
Digital and physical access to the courtrooms, in-person engagement with citizens via schools and community events, providing easy access to the Freedom of Information Act, and updating citizens via eblasts, e-newsletter, and Facebook helps elected officials maintain transparency.
Deputy City Administrator Shay Gallagher (left) at the Kentwood National Law Day. (WKTV/D.A. Reed)
“We try to reach folks where they’re at,” Gallagher said.
Surveys also have been a productive tool in striving to find better ways to communicate with and serve residents.
“In Kentwood, our leaders make a point to talk with the community, to try and make sure there is always open communication,” Sterkenburg said.
Restoring civility
Realizing that everyone comes from different backgrounds and how that shapes their perspective—and allowing their perspective to have a voice as equal as his own—is how Morgan believes civility can be restored.
“I think if we come out recognizing that we want more people whole than just what it is to be right, we can actually change things,” Morgan said.
McCarthy agreed.
“If we allow that airspace for other people to be heard, solutions will appear.”
“I think listening is key,” Sterkenburg said. “I think empathy is key. And I think that we (elected officials) have to lead by example in modeling those behaviors.”
D. A. (Deborah) Reed is an award-winning author of young adult novels and a creative writing instructor from the Grand Rapids area. To find out more about D.A. Reed, visit her website: D.A. Reed Author
The Kentwood Justice Center which houses 62-B District Court and the Kentwood Police Department. (WKTV)
By WKTV Staff
In conjunction with National Judicial Outreach Week, the City of Kentwood’s 62-B District Court has announced that residents are invited to meet Judge Amanda Sterkenburg and learn more about the court during a hybrid public/online event Wednesday, March 2.
National Judicial Outreach Week was created in 2017 by the American Bar Association to encourage judges to invite community members to their courthouses to meet with them, share information about the rule of law and talk about the work courts do every day. Every year, it is held March 1-10 and features a “Preserving the Rule of Law” theme.
The City of Kentwood Justice Center houses both the city’s police department headquarters and the 62-B District Court. (Supplied)
The 62-B District Court will host its event inside the courtroom at the Kentwood Justice Center, 4740 Walma Ave. SE, and online via Zoom from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
During the event, Judge Sterkenburg will give a presentation on the importance of the judiciary and how the court preserves the rule of law. Community members will have the opportunity to ask questions and offer suggestions on how the court can better serve the community.
62-B District Court Judge Amanda Sterkenburg. (Supplied)
“National Judicial Outreach Week is a perfect opportunity for the court to foster a greater understanding of our role in government,” Sterkenburg said in supplied material. “We are looking forward to hosting our first-ever judicial outreach event at the 62-B District Court in that spirit and to connect with our community.”
Community members are asked to RSVP for the event online or by calling 616-554-0715.
To help slow the spread of COVID-19, in-person attendance will be limited to the first 40 who register, and face coverings will be required for all regardless of vaccination status.
The event will also be available via Zoom. Virtual participation information will be emailed to registrants prior to the event. Attendees who require interpreter services or other accommodations are asked to contact the court at 616-554-0715 by Friday, Feb. 25.
Sterkenburg began presiding over the 62-B District Court in January 2021, for a six-year term. In her prior practice as a solo attorney, she represented criminal and civil defendants, landlords, tenants and litigants with many different types of claims. Her experience includes successful jury trials on assault, theft and retail fraud offenses. She has more than 90 hours of mediation training and has handled matters in many local circuit and district courts, including the 62-B District Court.
The 62-B District Court, according to the announcement, “strives to earn the public’s trust and confidence by providing a fair and just forum for the resolution of civil and criminal disputes, providing services in a professional, timely and efficient manner with respect and courtesy, educating and providing services in an understandable and user-friendly fashion, being accountable for the resources invested in the court and recognizing the changing needs of the judicial system and the people it serves.”
For more information contact Court Administrator Michele White at 616-554-0715 or whitem@kentwood.us.
Kentwood’s 62-B court’s touch-screen kiosk, among other uses, allows individuals to check-in for court remotely and receive a text message when it is their turn to enter the courtroom. (Supplied)
The City of Kentwood has announced that the city’s 62-B District Court is now offering a new — and innovative — service kiosk to “maintain public safety during the COVID-19 pandemic and provide better access to court services.”
The touch-screen kiosk is the first of its kind in Kent County that allows individuals to check-in for court remotely and receive a text message when it is their turn to enter the courtroom, according to the announcement.
Individuals can make payments online by scanning the QR code located on signage in front of the Kentwood Justice Center, 4740 Walma Ave. SE. (Supplied)
Individuals can also visit the kiosk during business hours, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday, to make payments or place court documents in a secure drop box.
Additionally, individuals can make payments online by visiting here or scanning the QR code located on signage in front of the Kentwood Justice Center, 4740 Walma Ave. SE.
“We are proud to be the first court in the county to offer this safe, innovative and convenient option for the community,” 62-B District Court Judge Amanda Sterkenburg said in supplied material. “The kiosk allows individuals to safely conduct business with the court, which is particularly important during the current surge of the COVID-19 pandemic, and reduces time spent waiting in line or going through security protocols to enter the facility.”
In addition to English, the kiosk’s software offers five other languages to serve the diverse Kentwood community: Arabic, Chinese (simplified), Kinyarwanda, Korean and Spanish.
The system has been operational since late December 2021 and was purchased by the court using federal pandemic support Cares Act funds.
According to the announcement, “The 62-B District Court strives to earn the public’s trust and confidence by providing a fair and just forum for the resolution of civil and criminal disputes, providing services in a professional, timely and efficient manner with respect and courtesy, educating and providing services in an understandable and user-friendly fashion, being accountable for the resources invested in the court and recognizing the changing needs of the judicial system and the people it serves.”
For more information on the new system contact Court Administrator Michele White at 616-554-0715 or whitem@kentwood.us.
