<div><strong>I am seeking support to help cover the remaining legal expenses I incurred while defending myself against unfounded accusations resulting in charges that were ultimately dismissed.</strong>
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<div>In November 2023, Jillian Kerry, a mother, grandmother, and dedicated community leader, was baselessly accused of wrongdoing over her routine use of a shared public Scio Township laptop. While carrying out her elected duties as Scio Township Trustee and Chair of the Road Advisory Committee, she clicked on Outlook to retrieve a Zoom verification code so she could start a public meeting for Township citizens. Unbeknownst to her, a Township official had stored his email credentials on that communal laptop and never logged out, so his account opened automatically, and within a single minute a cached email and meeting invitation sent themselves from his outbox. Others present saw Jillian's surprise, and the matter was quickly resolved and the public meeting commenced without incident.
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<div>But rather than address this unremarkable computer malfunction internally, when the account owner heard about it he filed a complaint with the Washtenaw County Sheriff. As a result, Jillian was charged with felony computer crimes punishable by up to four years in prison. At 59, Jillian had a spotless record of community service and had never been in trouble with the law. Despite the stress of these unfounded accusations, the people of Scio Township elected her Supervisor in November 2024, and she stayed committed to serving them throughout.
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<div>Making matters worse, on the eve of trial, rather than facing cross-examination in court which would have exposed his accusations as baseless, the complainant essentially said, “never mind” and asked the prosecutor to drop all charges, explaining to the prosecutor, in relevant part, as follows:
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<li>If the case were to proceed to trial and Ms. Kerry were found guilty of either one or both charges, then, according to MCL 168.369, she shall be removed from her office as township supervisor. . . . The Scio Township voters were aware of the charges against Ms. Kerry when a majority elected her to the position. Her abrupt removal would effectively overturn the 2024 vote and result in a disruptive, mid-term transition. While Ms. Kerry and I have been opponents in the past, I respect her service as supervisor, the seriousness with which she approaches her responsibilities, and I admire her working relationships with township employees. . . .
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<li>I don’t mean to undercut any of the effort expended so far, but I hope we can save additional public resources by halting the movement to trial. I am mindful that your office and the Circuit Court are faced with many, much more serious offenses than those with which Ms. Kerry is charged. I am aware that the Township has chosen to pay for Ms. Kerry’s legal expenses and a dismissal may save further expenditures of the Township’s public funds. Let’s target these public resources towards other, more pressing needs. Please dismiss the charges against Jillian Kerry. . .
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<div>Following the complainant’s last-minute request for dismissal, the prosecutor dropped all charges against Jillian, just weeks before trial, ignoring the fact that Jillian had endured two years of stress and distraction and mounting legal fees to defend against her potential loss of liberty from these unfounded accusations. While we all can agree with the complainant that Jillian’s service as Township Supervisor has been exemplary, the complainant fails to explain why he only came to that realization on the eve of trial, when his accusations would have been finally tested in a court of law. In truth and fact, the charges should have never been brought in the first place. If you want to see why this case never should have been filed, click here to read Jillian's <strong><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hXwyBhpsa08ekUFlXVyOi9YdmynX5Wi7/view?usp=drive_link" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Motion to Quash</a></strong> . It lays out, point by point, how the evidence failed to support a single charge against her.
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<div><strong>I have been left responsible for a considerable amount of attorney fees, court-related costs, and other expenses associated with defending myself.</strong>
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<div>But even with the case behind her, the financial weight remains. The complainant is not correct that the Township has continued to fund Jillian’s defense costs. Instead, the Township gave Jillian a lump sum, which was not nearly enough to go to trial, requiring Jillian to foot the remainder of her defense costs on her own. Substantial costs were never reimbursed. Jillian remains responsible for over $50,000 in attorney fees, court-related costs, and the expert witnesses she needed to defend her name. <strong>Even when a person is fully confident in their innocence, and even when they are ultimately vindicated, the legal process can be financially overwhelming</strong>.
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<div>This is where you can help. Every contribution, no matter the size, goes directly toward paying down the outstanding legal costs from Jillian's defense and helping her regain financial stability.
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<div>Thank you for your support, your encouragement, and your belief in innocence, fairness, due process and justice. It has carried Jillian through one of the hardest chapters in her life.
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Anonymous

Justice Came At A Cost

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