A Michigan State Police trooper, retired now, faced a court hearing via Zoom in Kentwood, Michigan. The former Detective Sergeant Brian Keely has been directed to stand trial for second-degree murder in connection with an incident involving a 25-year-old man named Samuel Sterling. The charges were brought forth by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel after the state police completed an investigation into the events leading to Sterling’s death on April 17.
The police’s investigation discovered that Sterling was being pursued by officers after running from them at a gas station in Kentwood, near Grand Rapids, due to several outstanding warrants against him. Body camera footage released during the investigation revealed the moment Sterling was struck by an unmarked car, driven by Keely, pinning him against a Burger King wall. Sterling, in apparent pain, was heard moaning as officers requested an ambulance. Tragically, he passed away in the hospital later that day.
Authorities indicated that Keely was not equipped with a body camera, as he was part of a federal task force, and the unmarked vehicle he was operating lacked an in-car camera. The defense attorney for Keely, Marc E. Curtis, expressed confidence in proving Keely’s innocence during the forthcoming trial. Records from the Michigan Department of Corrections show that Sterling had violated his probation terms in June 2022, following convictions for offenses like carrying a concealed weapon, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and stealing a financial transaction device.