Photo via Wayne County
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy.
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy announced on Monday that her office is dismissing all of its cases stemming from violations of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s lockdown order.
Worthy said there “is not a legal basis to proceed” with the 1,681 cases after the Michigan Supreme Court ruled in November that Whitmer did not have authority to issue the executive order.
“Governor Whitmer’s leadership has prevented many of our citizens from contracting COVID-19,” Worthy said in a statement. “However, considering the Supreme Court’s decision, WCPO will no longer use criminal prosecution to enforce the Governor’s Executive Order. It is my earnest hope that people will continue to wear face masks, social distance, quarantine when warranted.”
The cases include ordinance violations and misdemeanors for alleged violations of the executive order.
A vast majority of the cases – 1,632 – were in Detroit.
A University of Michigan School of Public health study estimated that Whitmer’s social-distancing measures prevented about 109,000 COVID-19 cases and 2,800 deaths.
Following the Supreme Court’s decision, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services imposed restrictions that were similar to Whitmer’s executive order.
Since the pandemic broke out in March, the coronavirus has claimed the lives of more than 14,600 Michigan residents. Nearly 560,000 confirmed cases have been confirmed.
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