Retired Judge, Asst. Prosecutor, Cops Face Criminal Charges

Detroit (WWJ) -- A retired Wayne County judge, a former Wayne County drug prosecutor, and two Inkster police officers have been arraigned on conspiracy, perjury and misconduct in office charges related to a 2005 cocaine case.

Retired Wayne County Circuit Judge Mary Waterstone, ex-assistant prosecutor Karen Plants, and officers Scott Rechtzigel and Robert McArthur were released on $25,000 bond after appearing in 36th District Court in Detroit.

Not-guilty pleas were entered for them.

Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox says Waterstone knowingly allowed perjured testimony in a 2005 trial in which Plants permitted the officers and a key witness to testify falsely that the witness had no prior contact with police.

Two individuals were arrested and convicted and 103 pounds of cocaine were seized as a result of the drug investigation.

Waterstone and her three lawyers declined to comment. Plants' attorney, Ben Gonek, called the charges "absurd" and said the case is "a big waste of taxpayer money."

Inkster Police Chief Greg Gaskin says Sergeant Rechtzigel has been with the department for 14 years.  Officer McArthur has been an Inkster cop for 19 years. Both were assigned to the Special Investigation Unit at the time of the incident.

Gaskin says the department is cooperating in the investigation and "feel confident that the justice system will get to the full circumstances in this matter."

Attorney David Moffett, who represented Alexander Aceval in the case, is appealing the case.

"No one can be happy about public corruption, but we take some solace in the fact that the wheels of justice will turn," Moffett told WWJ's Pat Sweeting.

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy issued a statement that said: "Our system of justice is based upon the presumption of innocence and the right to a fair trial. I sincerely hope that these defendants will be afforded the same rights as others."

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