Judge Mark Somers

Dearborn Judge Mark Somers is back in the news, this time in the Detroit Free Press.

In a front-page article, Somers says he refuses to compromise, regardless of how unpopular his decisions may be.

Including:

• Throwing a Quran-burning Florida preacher in jail, sparking a free-speech uproar.

• Refusing to dismiss marijuana charges against a man who was prescribed the drug, asserting that the state law permitting it is unconstitutional.

• And, of course, the lawsuits filed against him after his administrative shake-up at the 19th District Court that could cost Dearborn about $2 million. Somers tells the Free Press that the decisions were based “solely on principles — principles he said he refuses to compromise, regardless of how unpopular the decisions may be.”

He does second-guess his decision to use the court’s letterhead when writing three letters that included Bible verses. The letters were entered as evidence in the lawsuits. “It was one of those, ‘What was I thinking?’ moments,” Somers tells the Free Press.

Somers, 53, goes on to say that he has no regrets about eliminating former Dearborn deputy court administrator Julie Pucci’s position and firing former probation officer Simone Calvas, although both women won civil rights lawsuits against him. A third lawsuit, filed by the court clerk, is pending.

Somers said he thinks he should remain on the bench, despite some residents’ call for his resignation. “I acted with integrity, not self-interest,” he tells the Free Press.

For the full article, Click HERE.