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Livingston County Judge denies restoration of bond for Rep. Jewell Jones

Representative for Inkster faces charges in connection with April collision, allegedly sneaking handcuff key into jail

Rod Meloni, Reporter, CFP ®

Dane Kelly, Web Producer

Published: October 15, 2021 at 5:14 PM

HOWELL, Mich. – The defense team for state Rep. Jewell Jones were unable to restore bond for the lawmaker Friday.

Jones had been behind bars for more than a month. Judge Michael Hatty said he wanted to err on the side of caution as Jones had already been accused of violating bond multiple times before.

His initial arrest came after a Michigan State Police trooper was alerted to a collision in April.

For all the media attention -- stemming from Jones’ lack of cooperation, his invoking the governor’s name, telling the officer’s he controlled police funding -- defense attorney Byron Nolan said the entire case should be thrown out because an arrest shouldn’t have even happened.

“You guys have seen the video, of course. Jewell Jones standing behind the ambulance talking to the EMS worker. So at that point, when he asks for his ID and he didn’t give it to him, he arrested him,” Nolan said. “Can you arrest somebody for not showing ID? That’s the question the judge has to answer.”

Jones was visibly disappointed when the bond ruling came in.

In Lansing, state business moved on without him. Jones has missed 34 votes so far.

“Of course his community, his residents -- like myself -- would like for him to to be on the job representing us,” Nolan said. “He’s not doing me any good being locked up in the Livingston County Jail.”

Jones is expected to return to court Nov. 4.

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