Voter-suppression robocalls case heads to trial

Click here for updates on this story

    DETROIT, Michigan (WNEM) — Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced two men accused of intimidating minority voters in Detroit and other cities through a robocall meant to suppress turnout in the 2020 presidential election will go to trial after a failed dismissal attempt.

Last October, Arlington, Virginia residents 54-year-old Jack Burkman, and 22-year-old Jacob Wohl, were bound over to Wayne County Circuit Court on the following charges:

Election law – intimidating voters, a felony punishable by up to five years
Conspiracy to commit an election law violation, a felony punishable by up to five years
Using a computer to commit the crime of election law – intimidating voters, a felony punishable by up to seven years; and
Using a computer to commit the crime of conspiracy, a felony punishable by up to seven years.

After the case was bound over, the defendants filed a motion to have it dismissed, which was heard and denied by Circuit Court Judge Margaret VanHouten on Feb. 23.

Following the denial, the defendants appealed to the Michigan Court of Appeals on March 16. Their application was denied Thursday.

A trial date has not been set.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.