GROSSE POINTE FARMS, Mich. – A judge has been removed from a case that sparked debate over how accountable parents should be for their children’s reckless driving.
The story dates back to November 2023, when Flynn Mackrell died in a crash.
A passenger in the car, driven by his 16-year-old friend, survived.
That teen driver was convicted of manslaughter.
Mackrell’s mother wanted the boy’s mother charged with involuntary manslaughter.
However, the Wayne County prosecutor declined to bring the charge against Elizabeth Puleo-Tague.
Despite that, a Grosse Pointe Farms district judge authorized the charge and appointed a special prosecutor.
Now, a third-party judge has disqualified the previous judge from hearing the case due to an appearance of bias.
A new judge will be appointed and will ultimately decide whether the case moves forward.