DETROIT (WWJ) — Michael Jackson-Bolanos, the man who stood trial for the death of Detroit Jewish leader Samantha Woll, will not face a retrial on murder and home invasion, but he has been sentenced to 18 months to 15 years for lying to police.
Last month a jury returned a partial verdict after a trial that lasted more than a month. Jackson-Bolanos was acquitted of first-degree premeditated murder and convicted of lying to police, while the jury was hung on charges of felony murder and home invasion.
On Friday Judge Margaret Van Houten dismissed those remaining charges, saying she was bound by a U.S. Supreme Court decision, though Van Houten said she disagreed with the ruling.
In Yeager v. United States, the Supreme Court ruled that defendants can't be tried a second time after a deadlocked jury comes to a verdict on a charge with a similar factual basis, according to The Detroit News.
Van Houten said Friday since prosecutors brought the charge of home invasion with an underlying theory of assault — meaning that Jackson-Bolanos went into Woll's home with the intent to attack her — he cannot be retried on the same crime.
"I don't believe this jury had any idea that when they thought he was not guilty of premeditated first-degree murder, that they were precluding a retrial on felony murder," Van Houten said during Friday's hearing.
The prosecution plans to appeal the dismissal of the charges in the Michigan Court of Appeals.
While Jackson-Bolanos will not be retried, Van Houten sentenced him to 18 months to 15 years in prison. In handing down the lengthy sentence, Jackson-Bolanos's prior convictions and a previous failure to complete a probation sentence. He was also charged as a habitual fourth offender, which Van Houten said was a big factor in the sentence.
When Van Houten told defense attorney Brian Brown she had "heard him out" as he argued the sentence and that he can appeal the sentence, he said "oh, we will."
Jackson-Bolanos had been charged in connection with the stabbing death of Woll, who was found dead outside her home in the Lafayette Park neighborhood the morning of Oct. 21, 2023. Authorities believe she was stabbed inside her home in the early morning hours after returning from a wedding the night before and stumbled outside onto the sidewalk, where a neighbor found her hours later.
Over the course of the trial, prosecutors presented evidence — including cell phone data records and surveillance video — that placed Jackson-Bolanos in her neighborhood the night she was killed. Testimony also revealed what is likely to be her blood was found on a jacket the defendant wore that night.
Jackson-Bolanos, however, has maintained that he did not kill Woll. He did testify that he was in the area the night she was killed, as he was breaking into cars. He said he went to check on her when he saw her lying on the sidewalk, touched her cheek and realized she was dead.
He testified that he initially lied to police about touching her because he was afraid he'd get in trouble for breaking into cars and stealing items throughout the night and also believed he would be accused of her murder.
