Justice For George Rider-Bey
Free George G. Rider-Bey · Michigan

Free George G. Rider-Bey

Wrongfully convicted. Exculpatory evidence hidden. Fighting for freedom.

George G. Rider-Bey is incarcerated at a Michigan State Prison for a crime he did not commit. His conviction was secured through prosecutorial and police misconduct — including the concealment of exculpatory evidence and the coercion of witnesses — compounded by ineffective legal counsel.

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Case Summary
NameGeorge G. Rider-Bey
LocationMichigan Dept. of Corrections
StatusWrongfully Incarcerated
MisconductSuppressed evidence · Coerced witnesses
Counsel FailureIneffective representation
Relief SoughtNew Trial · Exoneration
Evidence was concealed
Witnesses were coerced
Counsel was ineffective
Justice was denied
Free George G. Rider-Bey
Evidence was concealed
Witnesses were coerced
The Injustice
Key Evidence of Misconduct
Prosecutorial Misconduct
Concealed Exculpatory Evidence
Evidence favorable to Mr. Rider's defense was withheld by prosecutors in direct violation of Brady v. Maryland. This evidence, had it been disclosed, would have materially altered the outcome of his trial.
Police Misconduct
Destroyed Evidence
Physical and documentary evidence was destroyed by investigating officers, eliminating critical material that could have established Mr. Rider's innocence and exposed the true facts of the case.
Police Misconduct · Sworn Testimony
Officer Recanted on the Stand
During the Appeals Court evidentiary hearing, a Warren police officer recanted his own sworn account on the stand — contradicting the testimony he had given at trial. This admission of false prior testimony by a law enforcement officer is central to Mr. Rider-Bey's fight for a new trial.
Ineffective Counsel
Failure of Legal Representation
Trial counsel failed to investigate the case, call alibi witnesses, object to prosecutorial misconduct, or adequately cross-examine key witnesses — denying Mr. Rider his Sixth Amendment right to effective counsel.
What Happened
Case Timeline
Arrest
George G. Rider-Bey is Arrested
Mr. Rider is taken into custody. Key exculpatory evidence already in police possession is not disclosed to defense counsel.
Trial
Conviction Secured Through Misconduct
Prosecutors present coerced witness testimony. Defense counsel fails to investigate, object, or call alibi witnesses. Mr. Rider is convicted.
Post-Conviction
Officer Recants His Story on the Stand
During the Appeals Court evidentiary hearing, a Warren police officer contradicts his own trial testimony under cross-examination — admitting on the stand that key details he previously swore to were false. This sworn recantation by law enforcement is a pivotal development in Mr. Rider-Bey's case.
Present
Fighting for a New Trial
Mr. Rider's legal team is actively pursuing post-conviction relief based on newly discovered evidence and constitutional violations. Your support is critical.
"My attorney and the prosecutor knowingly allowed me to be convicted when they knew the phone was not admissible. Four judges on this case all knew that my warrant was unlawful. I have been in here for an unlawful warrant. It was a legal lynching."
— George G. Rider-Bey · Allocution Statement
"
"I did not commit this crime. My fingerprints were not on the weapon. My DNA was not found at the scene. No physical evidence ever placed me there — yet I was convicted and sentenced to die in prison. That is a legal lynching."
— George G. Rider-Bey · Allocution Statement to Judge Toia
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Media Coverage
In the News
Allocution Statement · Court Record
August 2019 · Macomb County Circuit Court
"It Was a Legal Lynching" — George G. Rider-Bey's Full Allocution Statement
"My attorney and the prosecutor knowingly allowed me to be convicted when they knew the phone was not admissible. Four judges on this case all knew that my warrant was unlawful. I have been in here for an unlawful warrant. It was a legal lynching. I did not commit this crime. No physical evidence placed me at that scene. I will never stop fighting — not for me alone, but for every man and woman railroaded by a broken system."
Delivered directly to Macomb County Judge Joseph Toia at his sentencing to life without the possibility of parole, George G. Rider-Bey's allocution statement stands as one of the most powerful and documented testimonies of wrongful conviction in Michigan's recent legal history. He named the misconduct plainly: an unlawful warrant, a phone that should have been suppressed, prosecutors who knew and proceeded anyway, and a defense attorney who failed to fight. The Michigan Court of Appeals has since validated his core claims, remanding his case back to the lower court. Read the full statement below.
Read Full Statement On This PageVoice of Detroit Coverage
Voice of Detroit
January 29, 2023
"A Legal Lynching?" — George Rider-Bey in Macomb Co. Court; Appeals Court Remanded Re: Phone Seizure
"My attorney and the prosecutor knowingly allowed me to be convicted when they knew the phone was not admissible. Four judges on this case all knew that my warrant was unlawful. I've been in here six years for an unlawful warrant. It was a legal lynching." — George G. Rider-Bey
Voice of Detroit — the city's independent newspaper, unbossed and unbought — covered George Rider-Bey's return to the courtroom of Macomb County Judge Joseph Toia, where he fought to suppress evidence obtained from an illegally seized cell phone. The Michigan Court of Appeals had already remanded the case back to the lower court, ruling that Warren police had no valid warrant to seize the phone and that Rider's trial attorney was guilty of "ineffective assistance" for failing to contest it. The article details the Fourth Amendment violations, the warrantless stop at a Roseville car wash, and the broader pattern of police misconduct — including federal coordination with Warren police on the day of Rider's arrest — that have defined this case from the start.
Read Full Article at Voice of Detroit
Voice of Detroit
October 22, 2022
Appeals Court: Cops Had No Warrant for George Rider-Bey's Phone
The Michigan Court of Appeals ruled that Warren police lacked a valid warrant to seize George Rider-Bey's cell phone — a key ruling that sent the case back to Macomb County Circuit Court and set the stage for his ongoing fight for a new trial.
Read Article
Voice of Detroit
August 11, 2019
"A Legal Lynching" — George Rider-Bey to Judge Toia During Sentencing to Life Without Parole
At his sentencing to life without the possibility of parole, George Rider-Bey addressed the court directly — calling the proceedings a "legal lynching" and condemning the system that convicted him on the basis of unauthenticated text messages and coerced witnesses, with no physical evidence tying him to the crime.
Read Article
Voice of Detroit
June 13, 2019
Racist Railroad of George Rider-Bey in 2017 Murder — Macomb County "Justice"
A deep investigation into the racial dimensions of George Rider-Bey's prosecution in Macomb County — examining how media coverage, prosecutorial misconduct, and the suppression of exculpatory evidence combined to deny him a fair trial.
Read Article
Voice of Detroit
November 10, 2018
George Rider-Bey Case Shows Corruption Runs Deep Within Macomb County Courts & Police
An exposé on the systemic corruption within Macomb County's law enforcement and judicial institutions — including FOIA stonewalling, coordination with federal agents, and a pattern of misconduct that extends far beyond George Rider-Bey's individual case.
Read Article
The Full Record
The Legal Lynching Statement

The following is the complete, unedited allocution statement delivered by George G. Rider-Bey directly to Macomb County Judge Joseph Toia at his sentencing. It stands as a powerful and documented account of the systemic failures and deliberate misconduct that led to his wrongful conviction.

To The Honorable Judge Joseph Toia
The Legal Lynching of George G. Rider-Bey

America is a great country, and this great country is governed by rules and laws. But most of all this great country has the Constitution of the United States. And everyone must abide by these rules and laws of this great country.

"Your Honor, you took an oath and you swore to that oath to be fair and impartial in this courtroom. You deliberately and intentionally broke your oath, violating the rules of this courtroom."

You violated M.R.E. 901 and M.R.E. 801; by doing this you committed malfeasance in office. You hid behind your robe and the color of law to legally lynch me in this courtroom. You trampled on my 4th, 5th, 6th, 8th, and 14th Amendments of the United States Constitution. You were acting under the color of law when you symbolically used your position to legally lynch me.

You systematically forced me to go to trial with two individuals who I had no prior relationship with. You systematically placed me in the middle and made me appear to be the glue that held this crime together, so you could justify this lynching. I would have had more respect for you and this court if you took me across the street in the park and lynched me from a tree. But instead you chose to lynch me in this courtroom, under the color of law.

You violated my 6th Amendment when you allowed A.U.S.A. Karen Reynolds to interfere with my attorney Suzanna Kostovski in this state case. This is one of the many reasons my attorney was egregiously ineffective as my attorney. Because the Federal Government were not supposed to interfere with the Attorney/Client relationship. It was a conflict of interest when A.U.S.A. Reynolds offered me through my Attorney Kostovski to plead guilty to 20 years and cooperate in this state case. And of course, I declined.

"The plot, or the scheme, started with the meeting on February 23, 2017, with the conspirators being A.U.S.A. Reynolds, Macomb County Prosecutor Jurij Fedorak, and his wife A.T.F. agent Vera Fedorak, along with F.B.I. agents and Warren Police Department."

These are the same conspirators who on March 25, 2017, raided my home with no search warrant, only producing an application for a search warrant. They threatened my girlfriend and my underage son that if they did not open the door they would knock the door down. To this day no search warrant has ever been produced, and no federal charges brought against me.

The Honorable Magistrate Matthew Sabaugh started the lynching on January 27, 2017, when he signed a pinging warrant without probable cause. Then on February 4, 2017, Judge Suzanna Faunce issued a search warrant without probable cause, because she knew when she issued the search warrant my personal property was already seized.

Then the Honorable Judge Michael Chupa abused his discretion when he bound over this case without the testimony of the complaining witness testifying, or without probable cause. Then the Honorable Judge Jennifer Faunce tried to complete the legal lynching herself, but was recused from this case because of a conflict of interest, because her sister signed the unlawful seizure warrant. But Judge Jennifer Faunce pretended she had no knowledge of her sister the Honorable Judge Suzanna Faunce signing the unlawful seizure warrant in this case.

Then they assigned this case to you, the Honorable Judge Joseph Toia, to do the lynching and their dirty work. A judge who is supposed to be fair. But you're not fair, because you are complicit in this miscarriage of justice. You were well aware that the complaining witness Detective Daniel Bozek never testified in open court. You were also well aware that there was no proper written complaint in this case, and no prosecutor's authorization.

"According to MCR 6.101(A): 'A complaint is a written accusation that a named or described person has committed a specified criminal offense... the complaint must be signed and sworn to before a judicial officer or a court clerk.' Under MCR 6.101(C), 'a complaint may not be filed without a prosecutor's written approval endorsed on the complaint or attached to it.'"

Judge Joseph Toia was supposed to be fair, but you are not fair, because you're worried about your own political interest, as opposed to upholding the law and the oath you took. You're just like all the other corrupted officials in Macomb County: a cheater. And you will always be known as a cheater. I am going to do everything in my power to make sure that you are never allowed to be a judge over a miscarriage of justice again.

— George G. Rider-Bey · Delivered in Open Court · Macomb County Circuit Court · 2019
The Record of Judicial Failure
Misconduct of the Four Judges

In his allocution, George G. Rider-Bey named every judge who handled his case and documented the specific acts of misconduct or abuse of discretion each committed. Four judicial officers. Four failures. One man's life.

Jan 27, 2017
Magistrate
Sabaugh
Feb 4, 2017
Judge
Suzanna Faunce
Pre-Trial
Judge
Michael Chupa
Pre-Trial
Judge
Jennifer Faunce
Trial 2019 – Aug 2026
Judge
Joseph Toia
Current · Sept 5, 2026
Judge
Teri L. Dennings
01
Macomb County Magistrate
Magistrate Matthew Sabaugh
Signed Unlawful Pinging Warrant Without Probable Cause
On January 27, 2017, Magistrate Sabaugh signed a cell phone pinging warrant without probable cause — the first judicial act that set the illegal surveillance of George G. Rider-Bey in motion. This warrant, lacking the constitutional requirement of probable cause, was the foundation upon which the entire unlawful prosecution was built. The Michigan Court of Appeals later agreed that the warrant was invalid.
"The Honorable Magistrate Matthew Sabaugh started the lynching on January 27, 2017, when he signed a pinging warrant without probable cause."
— George G. Rider-Bey · Allocution Statement
Violation: 4th Amendment · Warrant issued without probable cause · January 27, 2017
02
Macomb County Circuit Court
Judge Suzanna Faunce
Issued Search Warrant After Property Already Seized
On February 4, 2017, Judge Suzanna Faunce issued a search warrant for property that had already been unlawfully seized by Warren Police. She knew at the time of signing that Mr. Rider-Bey's personal property — including his cell phones — had already been taken without a valid warrant. Issuing the warrant retroactively was a deliberate act to provide legal cover for an unconstitutional seizure. Her sister, Judge Jennifer Faunce, was later recused from the same case.
"Judge Suzanna Faunce issued a search warrant without probable cause, because she knew when she issued the search warrant my personal property was already seized."
— George G. Rider-Bey · Allocution Statement
Violation: 4th Amendment · Retroactive warrant · Property already seized · February 4, 2017
03
Macomb County Circuit Court
Judge Michael Chupa
Bound Over Case Without Testimony or Probable Cause
Judge Michael Chupa abused his judicial discretion by binding George G. Rider-Bey's case over for trial without requiring the complaining witness to testify and without establishing probable cause — both fundamental requirements under Michigan law and the Constitution. By allowing the case to proceed without these critical gatekeeping functions, Judge Chupa enabled a prosecution that had no lawful foundation, denying Mr. Rider-Bey his right to a fair preliminary examination.
"The Honorable Judge Michael Chupa abused his discretion when he bound over this case without the testimony of the complaining witness testifying, or without probable cause."
— George G. Rider-Bey · Allocution Statement
Violation: Abuse of discretion · No complaining witness testimony · No probable cause established
04
Macomb County Circuit Court
Judge Jennifer Faunce
Concealed Conflict of Interest · Pretended Ignorance of Sister's Role
Judge Jennifer Faunce initially presided over the case but was eventually recused due to a direct conflict of interest — her sister, Judge Suzanna Faunce, had signed the unlawful seizure warrant at the center of the case. However, Judge Jennifer Faunce did not voluntarily disclose this conflict. She pretended to have no knowledge of her sister's involvement, allowing the case to proceed under her watch before the conflict was surfaced. Her failure to recuse herself immediately was itself a violation of judicial ethics.
"The Honorable Judge Jennifer Faunce tried to complete the legal lynching herself, but was recused because of a conflict of interest — her sister signed the unlawful seizure warrant. But Judge Jennifer Faunce pretended she had no knowledge of this."
— George G. Rider-Bey · Allocution Statement
Violation: Conflict of interest · Failure to self-recuse · Concealment of familial judicial relationship
Trial & Sentencing Judge · Presided 2019 – August 2026
Judge Joseph Toia — The Final Act

After four judicial officers each played their role in enabling the wrongful prosecution, Judge Joseph Toia presided over the trial and delivered the sentence of life without the possibility of parole. Mr. Rider-Bey stated that Judge Toia was aware that complaining witness Detective Daniel Bozek never testified in open court, that there was no proper written complaint, and that no prosecutor's authorization existed — yet he proceeded.

Mr. Rider-Bey also documented that Judge Toia violated his 6th Amendment rights by allowing federal interference in his state case attorney/client relationship — a conflict of interest that rendered his defense egregiously ineffective.

"You were acting under the color of law when you symbolically used your position to legally lynch me. You violated M.R.E. 901 and M.R.E. 801; by doing this you committed malfeasance in office."
"You're just like all the other corrupted officials in Macomb County: a cheater. And you will always be known as a cheater."
— George G. Rider-Bey · Directly to Judge Toia · 2019
Read Full Allocution Statement
Case Update · Current Assigned Judge
Judge Teri L. Dennings

On September 5, 2026, the court transferred Case No. 2017-003420-FC from Judge Joseph Toia to Judge Teri L. Dennings of the 16th Judicial Circuit Court in a caseload transfer. Judge Dennings is now the judge assigned to Mr. Rider-Bey's case. Judge Toia's final ruling in the case was his August 24, 2026 order denying the Motion to Enforce Court Order.

Sept 5, 2026
Case transferred from Judge Toia to Judge Dennings
Oct 8, 2026
Mr. Rider-Bey files a Motion for Substitution of Judge, with request for hearing
Oct 13, 2026
Court signs order taking the motion under advisement — ruling pending
See Recent Motions View Full Docket
Official Complaints Filed
Judicial Tenure Commission Filings

George G. Rider-Bey has filed formal complaints with the Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission against Magistrate Matthew Sabaugh, documenting in precise legal detail how Magistrate Sabaugh's actions violated the United States Constitution, Michigan law, and his sworn oath — and demanding his removal from the bench.

These filings include three formal letters to the Commission (Investigation No. 2025-26831) and the actual Felony Complaint document from Case No. 17-002032, submitted as evidence that no proper probable cause determination could have been made.

Complete Filing Package · 14 Pages · 6MB PDF
JTC Complaint Against Magistrate Sabaugh — Full Document
All three letters to the Judicial Tenure Commission plus the Felony Complaint exhibit — compiled into one complete, readable document. Investigation No. 2025-26831.
📄 Read Full Document ⬇ Download PDF
3
Letters Filed
14
Pages of Evidence
1
Active Investigation
2025
Investigation No. 26831
Letter 1 — April 13, 2026
Additional Documents for Investigation · Judicial Tenure Commission

Submitted directly from Thumb Correctional Facility, this letter invokes Article VI of the United States Constitution — the Supremacy Clause — to frame Magistrate Sabaugh's warrant violations not as mere procedural errors, but as Constitutional breaches that destroyed jurisdiction. It demands Sabaugh's removal and encloses the felony complaint as proof that no probable cause determination was possible.

Page 1
Page 1
Cover letter — Judicial Tenure Commission, April 13, 2026
 Page 2
Page 2
Article VI violations — Constitutional Supremacy Clause argument
 Page 3
Page 3
4th Amendment — Sabaugh's duty as neutral magistrate
 Page 4
Page 4
Conclusion — demand for removal; felony complaint enclosed
Letter 2 — March 18, 2026
Additional Document to Investigate · Investigation No. 2025-26831

This filing documents the conspiracy between Magistrate Matthew Sabaugh, Prosecutor Jurij Fedorak, and Detective Daniel Bozek — establishing that Sabaugh issued an arrest warrant with no formal complaint, no affidavit from any witness, and no probable cause. It argues that without these documents, Sabaugh entered into a secret agreement with the prosecution, constituting malfeasance and systemic misconduct that resulted in the false imprisonment of an innocent man.

Page 5
Page 5
Cover letter — March 18, 2026 · Investigation No. 2025-26831
 Page 6
Page 6
Conspiracy — Sabaugh, Fedorak & Bozek; no complaint or affidavit
 Page 7
Page 7
Malfeasance finding — systemic misconduct; punitive damages
Letter 3 — March 16, 2026
Addition to Investigation · Investigation No. 2025-26831

The most detailed of the three filings, this letter cites federal and Michigan case law including Giordenello v. United States, Coolidge v. New Hampshire, MCL 764.1a(5), and MCR 6.102(B)(1) to establish the specific legal duties Sabaugh failed to perform. It notes that the Macomb County Clerk Anthony G. Forlini verified that no documents exist pertaining to an arrest warrant or probable cause determination — confirming that the warrant was issued without lawful foundation. It frames the failure as extrinsic fraud that stripped the court of jurisdiction.

Page 8
Page 8
Cover letter — March 16, 2026 · Addition to Investigation
 Page 9
Page 9
Abuse of process — warrant without formal complaint or affidavit
 Page 10
Page 10
Giordenello v. United States — false statements & probable cause
 Page 11
Page 11
Abdication of constitutional duty — Macomb County Clerk verification
 Page 12
Page 12
MCL 764.1a(5) & MCR 6.102(B)(1) — statutory violations
 Page 13
Page 13
Extrinsic fraud — jurisdiction destroyed; request for removal
Exhibit — The Felony Complaint
Case No. 17-002032 · State of Michigan v. George Gerald Rider B/M · February 22, 2017

Submitted as the centerpiece of evidence, this is the actual Felony Complaint signed by Prosecutor Jurij Fedorak and Detective D. Bozek on February 22, 2017. Mr. Rider-Bey enclosed it to demonstrate what he told the Commission directly: "I am enclosing a felony complaint that is impossible to determine probable cause." The document shows the charge of First Degree Premeditated Murder — yet contains none of the required sworn testimony, affidavit support, or factual basis required by Michigan law for a lawful probable cause determination.

Page 14
Page 14
Felony Complaint Doc — Case No. 17-002032 · Signed Fedorak & Bozek
Click any page thumbnail above to download that individual page as PDF
📄 Read All 14 Pages ⬇ Download Full PDF ← Back to Judges
The Man Behind the Case
George G. Rider-Bey

George G. Rider-Bey is a prominent Detroit businessman, community activist, and father who has spent years behind bars for a crime he did not commit. These photographs capture the man his family and community know — a person of dignity, strength, and enduring resolve.

George G. Rider-Bey
Before Incarceration
George G. Rider-Bey — businessman, father, and pillar of the Detroit community.
George G. Rider-Bey in court
In the Courtroom
Mr. Rider-Bey fighting for his freedom in Macomb County court proceedings.
George G. Rider-Bey
The Fight Continues
Despite years of wrongful imprisonment, Mr. Rider-Bey remains determined and dignified.
His Own Words
Allocution Statement

Delivered directly to Macomb County Judge Joseph Toia at sentencing, George G. Rider-Bey spoke without hesitation — naming names, citing statutes, and calling out every actor responsible for his wrongful conviction. These are his words.

"
On the Legal Lynching
"You hid behind your robe and the color of law to legally lynch me in this courtroom. You trampled on my 4th, 5th, 6th, 8th, and 14th Amendments of the United States Constitution. I would have had more respect for you if you took me across the street and lynched me from a tree — but instead you chose to lynch me in this courtroom, under the color of law."
— George G. Rider-Bey · Directly to Judge Joseph Toia · Macomb County Circuit Court · 2019
"
On the Conspiracy
"The plot started with the meeting on February 23, 2017 — the conspirators being A.U.S.A. Reynolds, Macomb County Prosecutor Jurij Fedorak, and his wife A.T.F. agent Vera Fedorak, along with F.B.I. agents and Warren Police Department."
— Allocution Statement · 2019
"
On the Unlawful Raid
"These are the same conspirators who raided my home with no search warrant — only producing an application for a search warrant. They threatened my girlfriend and my underage son. To this day no search warrant has ever been produced, and no federal charges brought against me."
— Allocution Statement · 2019
"
On Ineffective Counsel
"You violated my 6th Amendment when you allowed A.U.S.A. Karen Reynolds to interfere with my attorney in this state case. The Federal Government was not supposed to interfere with the Attorney/Client relationship. It was a conflict of interest — and of course, I declined their offer."
— Allocution Statement · 2019
"
On the Oath Broken
"Your Honor, you took an oath and you swore to that oath to be fair and impartial in this courtroom. You deliberately and intentionally broke your oath. You are complicit in this miscarriage of justice — worried about your own political interest as opposed to upholding the law."
— Allocution Statement · 2019
"
On the Phone Warrant
"My attorney and the prosecutor knowingly allowed me to be convicted when they knew the phone was not admissible. Four judges on this case all knew that my warrant was unlawful. I have been in here for an unlawful warrant. It was a legal lynching."
— Allocution Statement · 2019
"
On His Vow
"I am going to do everything in my power to make sure that you are never allowed to be a judge over a miscarriage of justice again. I will never stop fighting — not for me alone, but for every man and woman in this country who has been railroaded by a broken system."
— Allocution Statement · 2019
"
On Judicial Complicity
"You were well aware that the complaining witness Detective Daniel Bozek never testified in open court. You were well aware that there was no proper written complaint in this case, and no prosecutor's authorization. Yet you proceeded. You are just like all the other corrupted officials in Macomb County — a cheater."
— George G. Rider-Bey · Allocution Statement · Macomb County Circuit Court · 2019
Case at a Glance
Key Facts from the Allocution
Constitutional Violations
Violations of the 4th, 5th, 6th, 8th, and 14th Amendments — all cited by name in George G. Rider-Bey's own words before the court.
The Conspiracy Meeting
February 23, 2017 — A.U.S.A. Reynolds, Prosecutor Jurij Fedorak, A.T.F. agent Vera Fedorak, FBI agents, and Warren Police Department coordinated before the raid.
Unlawful Home Raid
March 25, 2017 — Home raided with no valid search warrant. His girlfriend and underaged son were threatened. No search warrant has ever been produced.
Judges Named
Magistrate Sabaugh · Judge Suzanna Faunce · Judge Jennifer Faunce · Judge Michael Chupa · Judge Joseph Toia — each named for their role in the lynching.
Complaining Witness
Detective Daniel Bozek — the complaining witness — never testified in open court. Judge Toia was well aware and proceeded anyway.
Michigan Court of Appeals
Has since validated his core claims — remanding the case and ruling Warren police had no valid warrant to seize the phone used as the primary evidence.
Read the Full Statement Voice of Detroit Coverage →
Active Litigation
Recent Motions Filed

The legal battle for George G. Rider-Bey's freedom is actively ongoing. Below are the most recent filings and court actions in his case.

Public Court Record · Case No. 2017-003420-FC
Full Court Docket — All 538 Entries, 2017 to Present
Search every filing, hearing, ruling, and order in the case.
🔍 View Full Docket ⬇ Download Spreadsheet
Court of Appeals Order · October 23, 2026 · COA No. 380666
Court of Appeals Denies Leave to Appeal
In People v. George Gerald Rider (Macomb County Case No. 2017-003420-FC), a Michigan Court of Appeals panel (Judges Christopher M. Trebilcock, presiding; Stephen L. Borrello; and Michael J. Riordan) ruled on four requests:
  • Motion to waive fees: granted (for this case only)
  • First motion to amend the application (filed May 27, 2026, adding the jurisdictional-defect issue): granted, and the amended brief accepted
  • Second motion to amend the application (filed September 8, 2026): denied
  • Delayed application for leave to appeal: denied. The court stated that the defendant had not shown the trial court erred in denying his successive motion for relief from judgment.
STATUS: LEAVE TO APPEAL DENIED · ORDER ENTERED OCTOBER 23, 2026
Next step · Application for leave to appeal to the Michigan Supreme Court — in preparation.
📄 Read the Order (1 p)
Circuit Court Motion · October 8, 2026
Motion for Substitution of Judge
Filed by Mr. Rider-Bey in Macomb County Circuit Court with a memorandum of law, an attachment, and a request for hearing. The case was reassigned from Judge Joseph Toia to Judge Teri L. Dennings on September 5, 2026. On October 13, 2026, the court signed an order taking the motion under advisement.
STATUS: UNDER ADVISEMENT · HON. TERI L. DENNINGS
Circuit Court Motion · July 2026
Motion to Enforce Court Order
Filed in pro per by George G. Rider-Bey in Macomb County Circuit Court (File No. 2017-003420-FC), asking the court to enforce its July 22, 2024 order directing the prosecution to produce any oath and affidavit prepared by Detective Bozek. Includes memorandum of law and supporting exhibits.
STATUS: DENIED · OPINION & ORDER ENTERED AUGUST 24, 2026
📄 Read Motion (28 pp)📄 Read Court's Ruling (5 pp)
Court of Appeals · COA No. 380666
Motion to Amend Application for Leave to Appeal
Filed with the Michigan Court of Appeals in Case No. 380666 — Mr. Rider-Bey's appeal of the April 16, 2026 denial of his second motion for relief from judgment (filed May 11, 2026) — this motion seeks to amend his pending application for leave to appeal to raise the jurisdictional defect in his prosecution: an arrest warrant issued without a sworn complaint or lawful probable cause determination. Includes memorandum of law.
STATUS: MOTION GRANTED & AMENDED BRIEF ACCEPTED · APPLICATION FOR LEAVE TO APPEAL DENIED OCT 23, 2026
📄 Read Motion (31 pp)📄 Read Court's Order (1 p)
Circuit Court Motion · Newly Discovered Evidence
Motion for Relief from Judgment — Addendum
Addendum to Mr. Rider-Bey's Motion for Relief from Judgment Based on Newly Discovered Evidence (filed March 12, 2026, and amended March 26, 2026) before Hon. Joseph Toia in Macomb County Circuit Court, with memorandum of law and exhibits.
STATUS: DENIED APRIL 16, 2026 · COURT OF APPEALS (NO. 380666) DENIED LEAVE OCT 23, 2026
📄 Read Motion (122 pp)
Post-Conviction Motion
Motion for New Trial — Brady Violations
Filed based on the suppression of exculpatory evidence by prosecutors in direct violation of Brady v. Maryland. Evidence favorable to Mr. Rider-Bey's defense was withheld and never disclosed to the jury. Judge Toia denied the request for a new trial on March 3, 2023. Mr. Rider-Bey's June 25, 2024 motions for post-conviction Brady, Franks, and Ginther hearings were denied on September 26, 2024, and his motion for reconsideration was denied on October 31, 2024. Mr. Rider-Bey appealed to the Michigan Court of Appeals (No. 374565). On August 25, 2025, the Court of Appeals denied his delayed application for leave to appeal, stating he had “failed to establish that the trial court erred in denying the motion for relief from judgment.” Reconsideration was denied October 1, 2025, and the Michigan Supreme Court rejected his later applications as untimely.
STATUS: DENIED · MAR 3, 2023 · BRADY MOTIONS DENIED SEPT 26, 2024 · RECONSIDERATION DENIED OCT 31, 2024 · COURT OF APPEALS DENIED LEAVE AUG 25, 2025
📄 Read Court of Appeals Order (Aug 25, 2025)
Appeals Court Remand
Phone Seizure — 4th Amendment Suppression
The Michigan Court of Appeals remanded this issue back to Judge Toia, ruling that Warren police had no valid warrant to seize the cell phone used as the centerpiece of the prosecution. Hearing was held January 31, 2023. On March 3, 2023, Judge Toia ruled that the exigent-circumstances exception to the warrant requirement applied and denied a new trial. The Michigan Court of Appeals affirmed that ruling on June 1, 2023, and the Michigan Supreme Court denied leave to appeal on April 29, 2024.
STATUS: DECIDED ON REMAND MAR 3, 2023 · AFFIRMED JUNE 1, 2023 · MI SUPREME COURT DENIED LEAVE APR 29, 2024
Sixth Amendment Claim
Ineffective Assistance of Counsel Appeal
A comprehensive Sixth Amendment claim documenting the specific failures of trial counsel — including failure to investigate, failure to call alibi witnesses, failure to object to prosecutorial misconduct, and failure to challenge the unlawful warrant — is being prepared for submission to the Michigan Court of Appeals.
STATUS: IN PREPARATION · COA FILING
Executive Action
Clemency Petition — Michigan Governor
A formal clemency petition is being prepared for submission to the Michigan Governor and Parole Board, detailing the full record of prosecutorial misconduct, suppressed evidence, coerced witnesses, and ineffective counsel that led to Mr. Rider-Bey's wrongful conviction.
STATUS: IN PREPARATION · GOVERNOR & PAROLE BOARD