After two individuals were killed in an automobile accident in September, a Warren police officer was charged with several crimes, including manslaughter. According to CBS News Detroit, James Burke, 28, is charged with two counts of manslaughter in connection with the September 30 incident in which it was claimed that his patrol car collided with another vehicle at a high speed. Cedric Hayden Jr., 34, and DeJuan Pettis, 33, were killed in the deadly incident.
Following an investigation, the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office issued charges against Burke. According to Burke’s defense lawyer Marc Curtis, his client is “a highly-trained officer who has represented Macomb County and Warren with distinction.” “The one thing I can say about the incident is that it’s unfortunate, and that there were actions on both sides that resulted in it,” Curtis added in an interview with The Detroit News. Burke, a nearly three-year veteran of the department’s police force, spent five years working for another law enforcement organization.
In a statement following the filing of the charges, the Warren Police Department acknowledged the tragedy and noted that Officer Burke had a “impeccable record of public service with multiple public service awards and accolades,” according to CBS News Detroit. They added, “That being said, police officers are subject to the same criminal code as the citizens we serve and, as such, the Warren Police Department acknowledges the Prosecutor’s decision.”
Following the collision, Hayden and Pettis’s families sued Burke, his partner, and the Warren Police Department for wrongful death, requesting $100 million in damages. According to these cases, the cops were speeding without using their lights or sirens and disregarded traffic restrictions. Attorneys for the victims have gathered video evidence to back up these allegations, according to FOX 2 Detroit.
The case will proceed with a preliminary examination on December 12 and a probable cause hearing on December 5. According to prosecutors in Macomb County and The Detroit News, Burke was freed on a $100,000 personal recognizance bond with stringent requirements, such as not being allowed to leave the state and not being allowed to resume his law enforcement responsibilities.
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