By: Norman Corrion
BAY CITY, Mich. – On March 5, appearing virtually, Michael Cecchini pleaded no contest to the charges of misdemeanor assault and battery with reason of potential civil liability.
A plea of no contest is not the same as a plea of guilty; it lets a defendant avoid admitting guilt without contesting the charges. This is often used to avoid future legal risks such as a guilty verdict being used in a future civil case.
Judge Mark E. Janer agreed to immediate sentencing after the plea, resulting in a delayed sentence of at least 90 days. A delay of sentencing is used to give a defendant an opportunity to prove eligibility for a more lenient penalty than imposed by law.
The plea deal requires: an anger management class, 40-hours of community service, no contact with the victim and surrendering his MCOLES certification. An MCOLES certification is required for law enforcement in Michigan.
“With this plea we were able to secure the surrender of Cecchini’s MCOLES certification and successfully remove an ill-tempered officer from the police force,” Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel says in a Mar. 6 press release.
The case resulted from a Sept. 17, 2022, altercation where Cecchini alleged a group of teens were disturbing the peace due to noise from riding bird scooters close to Uptown apartments.
Video of the altercation can be found on Mlive’s youtube page including body camera footage of responding officers.
In a Jan. 23, 2023 press release, the Michigan Attorney General office announced charges of misdemeanor assault and battery.
According to the press release, Cecchini threatened the riders with physical violence and arrest before hitting one of the youths in his lower chest area with the butt of the flashlight he was carrying.
Cecchini has served decades in law enforcement, serving in both Arizona and Michigan. Cecchini retired in 2022 from his position as Director of Public Safety after 16 years in the role.
