Here's Where Several High Profile Lansing Court Cases Stand in the Justice System
By Kara Berg
2018 has been a busy year in the Lansing-area courts. With disgraced former Michigan State University sports doctor Larry Nassar's January sentencing hearing, and the whirlwind of chaos that followed his case, it's easy to get lost. Here's some cases you may have forgotten about, and where they stand in the justice system. Rev. Jonathan Wehrle The trial for a retired priest accused of stealing more than $5 million from an Okemos church is on hold as the priest's attorneys appeal a decision Ingham County Circuit Court Judge Joyce Draganchuk made. Rev. Jonathan Wehrle is charged with six felony counts of embezzlement of $100,000 or more. Draganchuk pushed his trial back to at least January after Wehrle's original attorney withdrew in July. It's not clear when his trial will begin. He has no pending court dates.
Yenier and Sarah Conde Yenier and Sarah Conde are both charged with 10 counts of first- and second-degree child abuse. They are accused of locking their five young children in what police described as a "dungeon" and whipping them for punishment on and off for at least six years. The Condes have a jury trial set for March 12. Prosecutors offered the couple a plea deal in October, but both turned it down.
Joseph Hattey Michigan State University health physicist Joseph Hattey has a hearing scheduled for Jan. 22 in Ingham County Circuit Court. Hattey is charged with sodomy for committing a crime against nature (bestiality) and is accused of penetrating a dog with both his hands and his penis.
Joshua and Rachel Piland Joshua and Rachel Piland were charged with manslaughter in September 2017 after their infant daughter died of complications from jaundice. Officials say the couple refused to seek medical treatment because of their religious beliefs. The couple had another child in July who was born with similar health problems. The couple again refused medical treatment, according to court records, and the state seized the newborn and took her to the hospital for lifesaving treatment. The Pilands have a pretrial conference set for Jan. 17 in Ingham County Circuit Court.
Cody Hawk-Berning While he was free on bond awaiting trial for causing a fatal crash, Cody Hawk-Berning is accused of causing a second fatal crash. Hawk-Berning, of Onondaga Township, pleaded no contest in October to the first of the two crashes, where he's accused of reckless driving causing serious impairment in a dirt bike crash that left his best friend dead in June 2016. He's set to be sentenced Feb. 20. In the second crash, Hawk-Berning was charged with second-degree murder, OWI causing death, reckless driving causing death and failing to stop at the scene of a crash that resulted in death. He was the driver in a single-vehicle crash that killed 22-year-old Hunter Conaty. He has a motion hearing scheduled for Jan. 10 in Ingham County Circuit Court. Read more: Prosecutors: Man was drunk when he caused second fatal crash in as many years
Kaam and Teaya Stricklin Kaam and Teaya Stricklin are each facing a charge of involuntary manslaughter after police say they let their infant son starve to death. Prosecutors offered the couple two years in prison in exchange for their guilty plea, but both rejected the offer. They're set to stand trial in March. Kameo Stricklin died at about 9 weeks old of severe malnutrition and starvation.
Michigan State University officials Three Michigan State University officials are facing charges in connection to the Michigan Attorney General's investigation into the university's handling of complaints against Nassar.
Former gymnastics coach Kathie Klages and former university President Lou Anna Simon are both facing charges of lying to police officers during the Nassar investigation. Klages' charges are connected to two women who told investigators that in late 1997, they each met with Klages and told her Nassar sexually assaulted them. When Klages met with investigators in June, she denied being told by any gymnast about Nassar's abuse. Simon has maintained she did not know anything about allegations against Nassar until 2016. In May, she told Michigan State Police investigators that in 2014 she knew a sports medicine doctor was under review, but did not know the nature of the complaint. The AG's office says based on notes, agenda items and statements from Simon's senior advisor, they have proof Simon lied about not knowing about Nassar. Former MSU dean of the College of Osteopathic Medicine William Strampel is facing a felony misconduct in office charge for using his position to "harass, discriminate, demean, sexually proposition, and sexually assault female students," according to court records. He's also charged with sexual assault and two counts of willful neglect of duty related to actions during and after Nassar's 2014 Title IX investigation. Both Klages and Strampel have hearings scheduled for Jan. 7 in Ingham County, although their trials aren't anticipated to begin until later in 2019. Simon has a preliminary hearing scheduled to begin Jan. 31.
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