DETROIT — A jury awarded nearly $60 million to a man who alleged that a former Michigan prosecutor and a police officer infringed on his civil rights during a misconduct case that was ultimately dismissed by the state attorney general. The verdict underscores the rarity of successful lawsuits against prosecutors due to their significant legal immunities.
The jury found that Brian Kolodziej, a former assistant attorney general, and state police Lieutenant David Busacca acted with “intentional, deliberate, or reckless disregard for the truth” while pursuing sexual abuse charges against Sean MacMaster. The jury’s decision included $33 million for lost wages, emotional suffering, and damage to MacMaster’s reputation, alongside $25 million in punitive damages for what it deemed “malicious or reckless” conduct against him.
MacMaster’s attorney, Josh Blanchard, expressed relief at the outcome, stating that the jury recognized the pain his client endured at the hands of powerful officials.
Kolodziej’s career came to a halt in 2019 after revelations of an inappropriate relationship involving a woman connected to a sexual assault case he oversaw. Following this scandal, he pleaded no contest to charges of willful neglect of duty and surrendered his law license. A judge reported that Kolodziej had also altered official documents related to the case. Attorney General Dana Nessel previously described Kolodziej’s actions as “horrifying” and “disgusting.”
The accusations against MacMaster arose amid a contentious child custody dispute involving his former wife. According to MacMaster’s legal team, Kolodziej sought the sexual abuse charges as a way to gain favor with the relatives of MacMaster’s ex-wife. At the time of the charges, MacMaster held a significant position within the Duval County, Florida, school system, and he consistently denied the allegations against him.
Despite an initial investigation by authorities in Oakland County that concluded there was no credible evidence, Kolodziej and Busacca moved forward with the case. MacMaster spent months in solitary confinement before the attorney general eventually dropped all charges, citing “serious violations of our prosecutorial standards.”
Outside the federal courtroom in Detroit, MacMaster shared the verdict with friends, visibly emotional as he recounted the toll the ordeal had taken on his family, including the destruction of relationships, particularly with his daughter. “This has been devastating,” he said, highlighting the humiliation resulting from the charges.
MacMaster felt that the jury’s decision has somewhat restored his reputation, emphasizing that their verdict indicated there was no probable cause for his arrest. He remarked on the plethora of falsehoods that had circulated regarding his case.
Both Kolodziej and Busacca opted not to make any public statements regarding the verdict. Throughout the trial, Kolodziej represented himself and referred to his resignation as a prosecutor six years prior as an embarrassingly irrelevant detail concerning the legitimacy of the charges against MacMaster.
Busacca’s defense attorney insisted that her client was merely adhering to protocol and was not acting out of personal interest regarding Kolodziej’s situation.
This case has highlighted significant flaws in prosecutorial conduct and the implications that can arise when personal relationships intertwine with legal proceedings.
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