36th District Court

A 19-year-old Detroit man, Mario Carl Melvin Neal, has been charged with first-degree murder and felony firearm in the June 7 shooting death of 23-year-old Kemajai Darden in a Detroit home. Police found Darden unresponsive with multiple gunshot wounds, and Neal was arrested on July 17, 2026, after being identified as the suspect.

The 36th District Court is closed from 1:30 p.m. on July 16 through July 17 due to poor air quality conditions. Felony arraignments will proceed as scheduled, but all other court proceedings are suspended. The court will resume normal operations on July 20. The Wayne County Circuit Court is also closed to the public for hazardous air quality.

A 43-year-old Detroit man, Kevin Flagg, has been charged with second-degree murder, manslaughter, and felony firearm in the death of 25-year-old Devin Burns, a Chrysler Elementary School janitor shot on July 3. The incident occurred after a verbal dispute escalated into a physical altercation, leading to Burns being fatally wounded.

A 39-year-old Detroit man employed at a funeral home was arrested after allegedly shooting the mother of his children during a domestic dispute. The incident occurred around midnight in Highland Park, with the victim sustaining non-life threatening injuries. The suspect claims self-defense and faces seven charges, including assault with intent to murder and domestic violence.

A Detroit tenants group is suing the 36th District Court, alleging it allows landlords to collect rent or evict tenants without required city safety certifications. The lawsuit claims judges fail to enforce Detroit city code requiring landlords to show compliance certificates before evictions, affecting 86% of rental properties lacking such certification.

Detroit's 36th District Court Chief Judge William McConico is enforcing curfew rules by issuing tickets to parents whose children violated curfew after a fireworks show and teen gatherings. Parents, including Sytaira Green, faced fines and court appearances for allowing minors to be outside past curfew, with one case involving a 6-year-old with autism found outside at 2 a.m. The judge emphasized parental responsibility for child safety.

Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison addressed increased enforcement of minor curfew rules to address teen violence concerns during summer months. The department reported 103 curfew violations in April and 92 in May, with a spike of 180 violations during the Ford Fireworks event. Bettison emphasized connecting families with resources and support services, including parental responsibility courses and court-led interventions to address root causes of violations.