ALLEGAN, Mich. (AP) — A man convicted of criminal sexual conduct has been granted a new trial in western Michigan.
Emails show a judge was sharing her opinion of the case with the prosecutor’s office.
An Allegan County jury last year convicted Daniel Loew of criminal sexual conduct.
Judge Margaret Zuzich-Bakker sentenced him to at least 20 years in prison.
It turns out that the judge sent emails to prosecutor Myrene Koch during the trial, asking a question about the victim and offering an unflattering opinion about state police.
Koch said she wasn’t directly involved in Loew’s trial and didn’t share the judge’s remarks with an assistant prosecutor.
The judge declined to comment.
