TRAVERSE CITY -- Attorneys for murder suspect Joni Holbrook accused the Benzie County prosecutor of withholding investigative information that could benefit their client.
Holbrook, 47, is jailed without bond on an open count of murder in the Aug. 10 shooting death of her husband, Michigan State Police Sgt. Melvin Paul Holbrook, of the Traverse City post. Investigators believe she shot him at around 1 a.m. as he slept in the couple's residence on Derby Lane near Benzonia.
Defense attorney Jesse Williams said Holbrook endured years of "physical, mental and sexual abuse" from her husband during their marriage, and on Monday charged that county Prosecutor John Daugherty has withheld facts and evidence substantiating the alleged abuse.
Williams also said Daugherty is "leaking" information to the media to help his case while withholding details that are beneficial to Joni Holbrook.
"This isn't professional and the way it's being handled is making a mockery of the criminal justice system," Williams said.
Daugherty previously sought a gag order to prevent Joni Holbrook's attorneys from speaking to the media about the case, which was denied by a judge in Benzie County. Daugherty then released detailed information about the investigation in response to a Freedom of Information Act request.
Daugherty declined to speak to the Record-Eagle on Monday.
Williams said Daugherty has yet to provide him that same information, despite asking for it more than a month ago.
"I've received more information from the media than I have from the prosecutor," Williams said. "He's not following the rules of justice and it's not fair to my client."
Attorney Dean Robb, of Suttons Bay, who is assisting with Joni Holbrook's defense, said the defense team is also concerned about the state police's continued involvement in the investigation.
Williams said state police have interviewed three people that he knows of regarding the abuse allegations, but he hasn't received the results of those interviews.
Williams anticipates he'll have to file a court motion requiring Daugherty to provide him the complete results of the investigation. But for now his top priority is to get Holbrook freed on bond and prepare for a preliminary hearing set for Sept. 28.
"We have a lot of unanswered questions and this (hearing) will give us an opportunity to get some of these people on the stand ... and get some answers," Williams said.
Related Items:
- New details of Holbrook shooting emerge
- Police remove computer from Holbrook home
- Editorial: Gag request rightly denied
- Judge denies gag order
- Prosecutor seeks gag order
- Affidavit details night of shooting
- Editorial: MSP shouldn't be involved
- Poll: Should MSP investigate Holbrook death?
- Lawyer: Joni Holbrook 'victim and survivor'
- State police join Holbrook investigation
- Sgt. Holbrook remembered at funeral
- Suspect's friends troubled by murder charge
- Questions build in trooper's death
- Wife charged in death of policeman
- Police sergeant killed in Benzie
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