The Judicial Tenure Commission (JTC) authorized today a formal complaint against Brighton District Court Judge Theresa Brennan, who is accused of failing to disclose a relationship and poor demeanor during court proceedings.
Prosecutor Lynn Helland, who is the JTC executive director and examiner for the case, said the 69-page complaint also includes allegations of misconduct during Brennan’s depositions in her divorce proceeding and having staff do personal tasks on work time.
It does not, however, allege that she had a sexual relationship with now retired Michigan State Police First Lt. Sean Furlong while presiding over a 2013 double murder trial that Brennan presided over.
“The complaint is not based on any allegation of a sexual relationship between her and Furlong,” Helland confirmed. “It is based, in part, on allegations about the depth of their friendship.
“The complaint alleges that Judge Brennan failed to disclose and concealed the depth of her friendship with Furlong before and during the (Jerome) Kowalkski (murder) trial.”
Brennan faces consequences ranging from public censure to suspension to removal from the bench.
The investigation began after deposition testimony in Brennan’s 2017 divorce proceedings revealed that she had an affair with Furlong.
Source : MIRS News Release, June 12, 2018.