Honigman named to leadership level of State Bar’s Pro Bono Circle of Excellence
For the third consecutive year, Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP has earned a place on the State Bar of Michigan’s list of firms at the leadership level in its annual Pro Bono Circle of Excellence. The leadership level recognizes that Honigman has achieved 100 percent participation at the highest level of the voluntary pro bono standard set by the Bar. Qualifying activities include volunteer legal services for low-income individuals and organizations, and financial contributions to support legal services for those clients.
“Honigman has been dedicated to providing free legal services to the underserved in our community since its founding more than 65 years ago,” said Khalilah V. Spencer, chair of the firm’s Pro Bono Committee. “Honigman attorneys are devoted to serving our communities and are proud of our pro bono work. We thank the State Bar for the Circle of Excellence recognition of our commitment at the leadership level.”
WMU-Cooley Innocence Project granted evidentiary hearing in 1998 rape case
The Western Michigan University Cooley Law School Innocence Project is seeking a new trial in a 1998 Genesee County rape case. WMU-Cooley’s project filed a motion for a new trial on behalf of Octaviano Molina Jr., citing new evidence that casts doubt on Molina’s involvement in the rape of a Flint woman was filed. After hearing arguments regarding the motion on Monday, June 27, Judge Joseph J. Farah ordered an evidentiary hearing to consider the new evidence, including DNA evidence that identifies a second man never charged with the crime.
“The post-conviction DNA testing requested by our office resulted in the identification of a man who could not be identified in 1998,” said Marla Mitchell-Cichon, director of the WMU-Cooley Innocence Project. “Our client was not with this man during the time of the crime.”
During the 1998 trial, Molina’s defense attorney presented alibi witnesses placing him at home during the time of the rape and suggested two others committed the crime.
WMU-Cooley graduate and legal intern Joseph Daly wrote and argued the motion on behalf of Molina. Daly, who has been a project intern for over a year said, “I promised the client that I would follow through with his case to the end. I have stayed on with the project to do just that.”
The mission of the WMU-Cooley Law School Innocence Project is to provide legal assistance to persons who are imprisoned for crimes they did not commit and to train students in best practices.?
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