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DPD’s James Harris lauded killer unit in
“Detroit Under S.T.R.E.S.S.” film, after 20 yrs. in prison on drug charges.
Judge Christopher Michael Blount’s father, ret. DPD Sgt. Michael Blount, a “charter member” of S.T.R.E.S.S. along with DPD Sgt. James Harris, chief witness against Ricky Rimmer in 1976 trial
Both continue to praise killer cop unit — “Best police work of my career,” “made streets safer.”
Mayor Coleman Young put Blount and Harris on his security squad in 1974, after disbanding S.T.R.E.S.S.
Harris charged in 1972 Rochester Street Massacre of Black Deputy Sheriffs, later spent 20 yrs. in federal prison for protecting drug shipments to Detroit
Judge Blount denied Rimmer’s Motions for New Trial and Evidentiary Hearing Feb. 9, no response yet to Motion for Reconsideration
Another case remanded by the Mich. Court of Appeals to Blount’s court on the same issues cited by Rimmer’s atty. surfaces: Sean Darnell Daniels
Wayne State University History Dept. Newsletter Fall 2017
By Diane Bukowski
June 19, 2024
Christopher Michael Blount’s campaign ad.
DETROIT– On Feb. 9, Wayne 3rd Circuit Court Judge Christopher Blount unexpectedly denied Detroit lifer Ricky Rimmer’s motions for a new trial and evidentiary hearing. The motions deal largely with the roles two corrupt, racist Detroit cops, James Harris and Leo Haidys, played in concocting his 1976 murder conviction.
VOD has just discovered that Harris was a close associate of Judge Blount’s father, retired DPD Sgt. Michael Blount. Both were among a select few Black officers who served on the killer cop unit S.T.R.E.S.S. After 1974, when Detroit Mayor Coleman Young disbanded the unit, both served on the Mayor’s security squad.
In an earlier campaign ad, Judge Blount said his father and other family members in DPD were among his role models. (Sidebar)
Judge Christopher Blount (campaign photo)
VOD emailed Judge Blount and his Judicial Asst. Evan Ford, asking whether he deems the relationship between his father and Harris, a chief witness against Rimmer, to constitute an “appearance of impropriety.”
Michael Scott, the Court’s Public Information Officer, responded, “In relation to your inquiries earlier to Judge Blount and his office: the Court does not comment on pending litigation and speaks through its written orders.”
Sean Darnell Daniels/ MDOC
Judge Blount still has not responded to a Motion for Reconsideration of his Order and Opinion, filed March 1 by Rimmer’s attorney Darnell Barton.
The motion notes that the Michigan Court of Appeals overturned Judge Blount’s ruling in the case of Dwayne Ballinger on Feb. 8 on the same issues raised by Barton.
Meanwhile, the case of Sean Darnell Daniels, also remanded to Judge Blount by the Michigan Court of Appeals on July 3, 2023, has surfaced.
There, the COA said Judge Blount erred by saying Daniels’ successive motion for relief from judgment was 1) procedurally barred under MCR 6.502G; 2) holding wr0ngly that “newly available” evidence is insufficient to grant a new trial; and 3) that newly available impeachment evidence is barred under two rulings that have since been overturned.
In remanding Daniels’ case to Judge Blount, an MCOA panel of Judges Michael J. Riordan, Thomas C. Cameron and Noah P. Hood cited People v Swain, 499 Mich 920 (2016), (the same ruling Blount scoffed at in Rimmer’s case); People v Rao, 491 Mich 271, 282-283; 815 NW2d 105 (2012), and People v Grissom, 492 Mich 296, 319-320; 821 NW2d 50 (2012). See complete ruling in link below story.
In the Daniels case, the COA ordered, “On remand, the trial court shall do so promptly, reconsidering this matter on the merits in light of this order.” Judge Blount has a July 2, 2024 “post-conviction” date set on Daniels’ case.
VOD’S editor Diane Bukowski and legal analyst Travis Herndon appeared on the Jay Love show, “Turning a Moment into a Movement,” June 14 to discuss Ricky Rimmer’s case and its relevance to all defendants adversely affected by Michigan’s severely flawed criminal justice system.
RELATED DOCUMENTS
Ricky Rimmer Motion for Reconsideration filed March 1, 2024:
Judge Christopher Blount’s Order and Opinion filed February 9, 2024:
http://voiceofdetroit.net/wp-content/uploads/Rimmer-Ricky-Order-and-Opinion-2-Feb-2024-3.pdf
MCOA Order in Sean Darnell Daniels Case July 7, 2023:
Other documents linked in VOD story published June 5, 2024:
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