A Detroit man, Michael Jackson-Bolanos, has been cleared of serious charges related to the death of Samantha Woll, a synagogue president. Jackson-Bolanos was facing multiple charges, including felony murder and home invasion, but a Michigan judge dismissed most of the case after a jury acquitted him of one charge and couldn’t reach a decision on another.
The case has left many questions unanswered, particularly about who is responsible for Woll’s death. Woll, a well-known figure in Detroit’s Jewish community and the president of the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue, was found stabbed to death outside her home on October 21. Her murder shocked the community, but authorities have stated that there’s no evidence linking her death to her religion, despite a rise in antisemitic and anti-Muslim incidents during that time.
On the morning of Woll’s death, Jackson-Bolanos was reportedly searching for cars to break into when he came across her body. He claimed that he checked if she was breathing and touched her neck, which got blood on his hands. He then left the scene to avoid being caught in the neighborhood.
Adding complexity to the case, two weeks after the murder, Woll’s ex-boyfriend, Jeffrey Herbstman, called 911 claiming he might have killed Woll but couldn’t remember it. However, during the trial, he testified that his 911 call was due to a bad reaction to medication and marijuana, not because he actually committed the crime.
Prosecutors eventually charged Jackson-Bolanos in December, though they admitted there was no connection between him and Woll. During the trial, Jackson-Bolanos faced four charges: premeditated murder, felony murder, home invasion, and lying to a peace officer. The jury cleared him of premeditated murder but couldn’t agree on the other two charges, leading the judge to dismiss them. This decision was based on a 2009 U.S. Supreme Court case that prohibits retrying a defendant on deadlocked charges if they share the same legal basis as a charge on which the jury has already reached a decision.
Although Jackson-Bolanos was cleared of the most serious charges, he was convicted of lying to the police and sentenced to 18 months to 15 years in prison. The judge was critical of his behavior, saying that his consistent dishonesty was like winning a gold medal in lying.
Also Read:
- No Drug Traffickers Released in Sinaloa Cartel Crackdown, Experts Confirm
- Illinois Domestic Violence Survivors Imprisoned for Crimes Committed by Their Abusers
As a result of the time he has already spent in custody, Jackson-Bolanos will receive credit for the 243 days he has served.
