The case against Michael Jackson-Bolanos, who was accused of killing Detroit synagogue leader Samantha Woll, collapsed as a judge dismissed a remaining murder charge on the grounds of double jeopardy. Jackson-Bolanos had been cleared of first-degree premeditated murder by a jury, but a unanimous verdict could not be reached on a charge of felony murder. The judge cited a 2009 Supreme Court decision and ruled out a second trial, leading to the dismissal of the remaining murder and home invasion charges. Jackson-Bolanos was sentenced to 18 months in prison for lying to police, his only trial conviction.
Samantha Woll was found dead outside her Detroit home last October, with speculation about a possible antisemitic motivation initially raised. However, police found no connection to the Israel-Hamas conflict. Jackson-Bolanos maintained his innocence, testifying that he had no role in Woll’s death but had touched her body when he found it. Blood spots were found on his coat, which he attributed to being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The initial suspect in Woll’s murder, a former boyfriend who made suspicious statements to 911, was not charged due to claiming an adverse reaction to medication. Woll was well-known in the community as the president of the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue and for her political activities. Governor Gretchen Whitmer described her as a “beacon in her community.”
Photo credit
www.nbcnews.com
