Danielle Stislicki murder investigation: Floyd Galloway's attorney argues against lie detector test
SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (FOX 2) - An attorney for the man accused of murdering a Farmington Hills woman six years ago returned to court on Wednesday for a motion hearing, claiming that her attorney-client privilege has been violated because of information shared to the police.
Attorney Ellen Michaels argued on behalf of Floyd Galloway Jr. on Wednesday in the motion hearing that comes a little more than a month before he's due for trial in the murder of Danielle Stislicki.
Stislicki was 28 when she disappeared in December 2016 and Galloway has been linked to her disappearance with police and prosecutors saying he murdered the woman. Her location or the remains of her location have never been found
Tuesday was the first court appearance since Aug. 17, when his attorneys were denied a request to view more evidence. Judge Phyllis McMillen ruled that all relevant information had been turned over to both the defense and prosecution.
The topic of Wednesday's hearing is regarding privileged information that Galloway's attorney claims was inappropriately shared, specifically a lie detector test that was shared between government agencies.
Michaels argued on Wednesday that information being shared between law enforcement officials had violated Galloway's due process - an allegation that stems from the discovery of several search warrants that had been executed in relation to Galloway.
She argues that her attorney-client privilege was in jeopardy because of a lie detector test that was done and shared with Troy Police Chief Gary Mayer, who then shared it with Farmington Hills Police.
McMillen did not rule on the motion but said she would try to do so by the end of next week, but that could put the trial date of Nov. 28 at risk.
What happened to Danielle Stislicki?
Danielle disappeared on Dec. 2, 2016, as she was leaving her job at MetLife in Southfield. Galloway was a former security guard there and has long been considered a person of interest in her disappearance.
The then 28-year-old woman finished her shift that day and was expecting to meet a friend but she never showed up.
The next morning, her 2015 Jeep Renegade was found parked outside her apartment at Independence Green Apartments near Halsted and Grand River in Farmington Hills.
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The SUV was locked and, when police searched it, they found her purse with her credit cards, driver's license, and other personal items.
They did not find her phone, which police have said was a key piece of evidence.
Three weeks later, Galloway's home in Berkley was searched and evidence was collected. It would be three years before it was revealed what the evidence was.
Over the course of the next three years, thousands of dollars were raised to assist with the search for Danielle and Farmington Hills police wrote #FindDani on squad cars to keep the search alive. Flyers were also posted in dozens of businesses in surrounding cities.
Her location or remains have never been found.
Charging Floyd Galloway with murder
The Oakland County Prosecutor's Office had denied charging Galloway with Danielle's murder multiple times but in April 2019, Attorney General Dana Nessel's office took over the case and ultimately charged him with her murder.
Galloway was arrested in June 2017 on unrelated charges in Livonia. He was charged with kidnappings, criminal sexual conduct, and assault after a woman was grabbed at a Livonia park, dragged down an embankment, and nearly strangled.
He ultimately pleaded guilty in Wayne County on those charges and was sentenced to 16 to 35 years in prison in December 2017.
After Nessel took over the case, her office announced Galloway would be charged with Danielle's murder. Over the course of the investigation, it was discovered that several dozen search warrants had been executed at various places connected to Galloway in connection with this case.
Farmington Hills Police Chief Chuck Nebus said the department believed Galloway had tried to hide evidence along the way.
A preliminary hearing for Galloway was held in September 2019, which featured 15 witnesses and dozens of pieces of evidence. A judge eventually ruled that probable cause was evident and ordered Galloway to trial. The latest date for trial was scheduled for July 11, but that was delayed due to motion and evidentiary hearings.
He's now due for trial on Nov. 28.