After being incarcerated for 32 years in prisons in Michigan and Florida, earning a notorious nickname after serving as one of the state's longest known periods for a nonviolent offense, and even seeing his life-adaptation on the big screen, a 51-year-old Detroit man is finally scheduled to go free today. While you may know him as 'White Boy Rick', his files read Richard Wershe Jr.
While it was a drug-related offense that convicted Wershe to decades behind bars when he was 17 years old, he had already worked an FBI informant for two years prior to his arrest from 1984-1986. He had become involved with law enforcement after his dad, another informant for the FBI, had introduced his son to agents. While working for the feds, he would be shot in the stomach.
Then a year after he stopped working with the FBI, Wershe was arrested with several kilograms of cocaine and tens of thousands of dollars in cash.
In July 2017, a Michigan parole board granted Wershe clemency from his life sentence. He was turned over to the U.S. Marshals Service, who transported him to a Florida State Prison for his time operating a car theft ring when he was younger. Wershe has been living in a halfway house ever since.
As opinions toward drug abuse and drug-related crimes have softened, following decades of strict prosecution and policing, many officials have looked at Wershe's sentencing with a different perspective. That includes Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy who said as much in 2016. The state parole board, which Worthy has no control over, saw fit to reduce his sentence later the next year.
Wershe will be on probation until Aug. 22, 2021, after he arrives back in Michigan. He won't be allowed to leave the state, possess drugs, alcohol, or weapons.
Family close to Wershe says he wants to enjoy a quiet return to life with his two kids.
Quadruple shooting at Eagles Coney Island in Detroit leaves three dead
Three people are dead after a quadruple shooting in a Detroit coney island took place late Sunday night.
At approximately 11 p.m. in the 9100 Block of Dexter, four men in the Eagles Coney Island on the city's west side were shot. Three of them sustained fatal injuries while a fourth was last reported to be in critical condition.
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Four shot, three dead after Detroit restaurant shooting late Sunday night
A violent ending to the weekend involved a quadruple shooting in a Detroit coney island where three men have died. Detroit Police's homicide unit is currently investigating the scene.
An employee said they didn't hear any argument or fighting that led up to the shooting. All they heard were gunshots.
While the last updates provided by Detroit Police was that the suspect was loose, video footage from an overhead chopper showed officers with a person-of-interest in custody after making an arrest.
The restaurant, located near Joy Road, will remain closed for the day.
More protests over Detroit schools reopening continue
A persistent band of teachers, parents, and other community activists continued protesting Monday morning in front of a Detroit Public School bus depot, emphasizing an argument they have made during early morning demonstrations for the past week: close Detroit schools.
Beginning last Monday when summer schools restarted for students enrolled in Detroit Public Schools, activists from By Any Means Necessary have sought both legal and physical means to disrupt classes from starting. Activists were at it again, this time returning to Glendale and Westwood Street where at least 11 were arrested during a Thursday morning protest.
About two dozen people showed up to demonstrate Monday morning. Detroit Police have already made more arrests and a tow truck has removed a vehicle that was blocking the exit for school buses.
"Things are not being implemented. A poster on the wall is not a symptom check. Temperature readers with nobody reading them like it's on the honors system, seeing for myself students lining up not social distancing," said Nicole Conway, an activist.
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Protests against Detroit school’s reopening continue with Monday morning bus blockage
Arrests have been made and vehicles have been towed as about two dozen demonstrators made an appearance to protest Monday morning at a bus depot on Glendale and Westwood Street.
"As long as these schools are open, they will be a breeding ground, a vector of spread for this disease," said teacher Benjamin Royal.
The school district's superintendent, Dr. Nikolai Vitti, has pushed back on claims that summer school isn't safe to operate amid the COVID-10 pandemic. In addition to keeping the buildings sanitized and clean, social distancing and face mask rules have been mandated during in-person learning as well.
However, Detroit, now labeled as medium-to-high risk region for coronavirus infection, is still licking its wounds from an outbreak that scarred the city and killed thousands of residents. With no vaccine available and caseloads rising again in the state, many believe it is the wrong time to resume in-class learning.
A judge listened to oral arguments from both parties on Friday after denying to place a temporary restraining order on the schools reopening on Thursday.
Daily Forecast
Temperatures will hover around the 80s for the week as strong storms end for now.
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The storms are over for now and the humidity is dropping. Some mid week wet weather is yet to come.
Temps should hover in the 80's this week.
85 babies have tested positive for COVID-19 in one Texas county
A total of 85 babies have tested positive for COVID-19 in Nueces County, Texas, the county’s health director said on Friday.
In a COVID-19 public health update streamed on Corpus Christi government social media pages, Annette Rodriguez, director of public health for Nueces County, said that as of July 17, more than 80 babies in the county have tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
“We currently have 85 babies under the age of one here in Nueces County that have all tested positive for COVID-19,” Rodriguez said during the livestream. This number is a reflection of when testing started in mid-March, according to a county news release.