Stand with Mike: A Family's Plea for Justice

This is difficult to share... My fiancé of 19 years, Michael O’Cordan, is sitting in jail, 1000 miles away from me, with no bail, waiting to be extradited for a crime he is being falsely accused of. For those who know Mike, you know he is straight forward and honest – sometimes to his detriment. He is also extremely loving and kind. In November 2023, while waiting in his semi-truck to be dispatched, Mike was pulled from his truck, dragged, kicked and beaten. There were three men involved in his attack. At one point, Mike feared for his life, being much smaller in stature. His only defense was to protect his head with his arms while being kicked at and punched. Mike was able to break away and get back to his truck however, before Mike could get inside, he was jumped from behind, pulled from the truck again and beaten. Traumatized and bloody from his chin to his knees, Mike was pulled from his truck a third time. With God’s help, Mike managed to escape one last time, and sought safety in his rig. However, Mikes' locks were broken, and his third attacker repeatedly and aggressively tried to get inside, so Mike physically held his door shut using all of his strength. Lily, his English Bulldog, was Mike's implied weapon, deterring the third man from entering. When the police arrived and questioned both parties, Mike found himself facing false accusations from the very people who assaulted him.

Due to the protection laws in this state for minorities, the police did not arrest Mike’s attackers. Instead, Mike was told the attack was his fault because he called his first attacker a name. Left to his own defenses, and extremely disappointed in our justice system, Mike was advised to go down to the courthouse and file a law suit himself, and so he did.

Mike received little correspondence regarding his case. Mike followed up with a phone call to the courthouse and county attorney and was told his hearing had been canceled and would be rescheduled to accommodate two complaints, as the other party had file a counter suit. Mike was told he would be notified of the date, time and location. Mike requested ample notice as he would need to travel 1000 miles. Mike never heard anything back and went on with his life.

Fast forward - last Thursday, May 29th, Mike was traveling out east on business, he pulled over on the shoulder as his windows were fogged, he lost all visibility, and the loose gravel pulled him into the ditch. Mike called a tow truck, and the police arrived. Mike was arrested and told there was a extradition warrant for his arrest in the neighboring State where he was attacked, thus making him a fugitive of justice.

If you don’t believe in law fare, it’s real. In a million years, I would have never thought someone I love would be targeted in such a way. As a family, we are devastated by what is happening. Mike’s been separated from his co-pilot, Lily Pad, our English Bulldog, since his arrest, as she was placed at the local animal control facility. Mike loves our fur babies and for those of you that have your own, well you know how heart wrenching it would be to sit in a jail cell with worry, fear and uncertainty. I must point out though, the staff were wonderful to Lily. They even offered to bring her back to me in Wisconsin at no charge. True kindness. However, that did not pan out and Mike's family stepped up to the plate. A huge thank you to them for making the arrangements to bring Lily home. It's been wonderful to be reunited with her! And thank you to the other lovely people in our lives that have offered help along the way. I must throw in a funny here – fabulous Whitney at animal control shared with me that the police officer must NOT have gotten a good look at Lily, because when he called her for pick up, Whitney asked the officer, what breed is Lily, and the officer replied, “She’s an overweight Golden Retriever!” Now back to reality...

The charges against Mike are extensive, and the legal battle ahead is overwhelming. The men who attacked Mike are now accusing him of the very things they did to him. We are struggling to cover attorney fees, court costs, and basic living expenses, as we are short on income while Mike is in jail. I am doing everything I can to liquidate assets, but these things take time, and we have no savings left after a year of costly semi-truck repairs and lost work. If you can swing a donation, no matter the size, our hearts would be eternally grateful. If you cannot, perhaps you would be willing to share our story or keep us in your prayers. Community is such a beautiful thing, and we are most appreciative in whatever way you are able to contribute. With Love & Gratitude, Mike & Paulette