State Roundup

Lansing Legislation would change child custody guidelines LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- The case of an Ann Arbor boy whose father accidentally gave him an alcoholic drink at a 2008 Detroit Tigers game may spark changes the state's protective services regulations. MLive.com reports legislation inspired by the case is closer to becoming law after winning approval in the state House on Tuesday. The Senate already passed a version of the legislation. If senators agree changes, the bill could soon be headed to Gov. Rick Snyder. The legislation includes stricter guidelines for placing children into emergency custody, which is allowed under current state law. Christopher Ratte purchased a bottle of Mike's Hard Lemonade for his son, Leo, without realizing it contained alcohol. Officials took the boy who was 7 at the time from his parents and kept him for several days. Detroit Plans to transform former plant for recreation use DETROIT (AP) -- Plans are moving forward to transform a more than century-old manufacturing site near the Detroit River into an adventure and discovery center with rock climbing, archery and other activities. The Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News report multi-million dollar plans for the vacant Globe Trading Company complex were discussed at Tuesday's meeting of the city's Economic Development Corp. It is part of a plan announced last year involving the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to expand and enhance the nearby William G. Milliken State Park & Harbor. A local entity created by Detroit-based developer Roxbury Group will do the work and the DNR will buy the facility. Work could begin this fall and it could be ready in 2013. Detroit Gunshot wound goes unnoticed on dead Detroit man DETROIT (AP) -- A gunshot wound went unnoticed on the body of a 59-year-old Detroit man until a funeral home prepared to embalm the body, hampering a police investigation into the death, his family and officials said. The body of Leslie Brooks was found over the weekend in the basement of the east side home of a friend where he lived and it was initially believed that he died of natural causes, Detroit Free Press and WJBK-TV reported. His body was taken to Cole funeral home, where the chest wound was discovered. "They probably missed it," said mortician Gail Washington, because "he had a black T-shirt on with a black shirt on top." The funeral home said it contacted authorities. By that time, however, the missed gunshot wound made any investigation into Brooks' death more difficult. Detroit police said in a statement Tuesday that internal affairs planned to investigate "to determine if all departmental procedures and protocols were followed." The statement confirmed the wound was discovered at the funeral home. It said no further comment would be made until the investigation is complete. Detroit EMS said procedure was followed by medics, WJBK reported. Al Samuels, the chief investigator for the Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office, also said his office followed proper procedure. Shakira Bonds, 20, one of Brooks' daughters, told the newspaper she was angry. "I don't know who to go to," she said. The gun most likely was a small-caliber weapon, leaving a smaller wound than more common larger-caliber weapons, and most of the bleeding must have been internal, Washington said. She said she also retrieved Brooks' clothes, and saw holes and a small amount of blood on the clothing. A mortician for 38 years, Washington said it was the fourth time she has discovered a fatal bullet wound on someone initially ruled a natural death. Brooks' body was found in his friend Alberta Rice's basement. EMS and police who responded early Saturday to a 911 call believed Brooks had suffered a natural death. Evidence at the scene including his clothing, which ended up at the funeral home, was disturbed. "Nothing was secured, nothing was taped off," Rice, 64, said. "I don't even believe that there could be an investigation now." Manistee 6 years after trial, woman's death gets new look MANISTEE, Mich. (AP) -- A judge will hear testimony that could lead to a new trial for a Detroit-area man convicted of killing his wife by dragging her into a lake in northwestern Michigan. Mark Unger has new experts to challenge the prosecution's theory of the death of Florence Unger in 2003. Authorities said the Huntington Woods woman was pushed off the roof of a boathouse and dragged into Lower Herring Lake, where she drowned. Mark Unger was convicted in Benzie County and is serving a life sentence, but he insists the fall was accidental. Starting Wednesday in Manistee, a judge will hear from two doctors who didn't testify at the 2006 trial. Attorney F. Martin Tieber says they'll challenge testimony that Florence Unger was alive for 90 minutes after hitting her head. Published: Thu, May 24, 2012