Smith Smacks, Smith Smacked

Freshman Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith gets smacked by the US District Court for screwing-up his firing of assistant prosecutor Maryann Bru­der.

In a recently issued decision, Judge Julian Cook orders Smith to reinstate Bruder with back pay because he violated her due process rights by not allowing her to defend herself or telling her why she was being fired.

But Smith's office says Bruder was fired for making deputy sheriffs go into areas of Detroit "where crime is prevelent" to arrest a witness - thus sub­ject­ing the deputies to unnecessary risk and because Smith's lack of faith in her loyalty and trust­worth­i­ness.

Yeah, OK, Smith, get real. Making deputies go into areas of Detroit "where crime is prevelent?" Jeez. Crazy. Aren't law enforcement officers expected to do that kind of work? Something like asking firemen to, ah, put out a fire ... crazy.