My interest in the above matter arose when my friend Judy Dieboldt of the Detroit News called me after Jane Burgess was identified as the attorney for Christopher Busch in his four pedophile convictions. Dieboldt told me that before she was married she socialized with Jessica Cooper and Burgess who were close friends.
The MSP reports which I received on December 15, 2010 further aroused my interest on this friendship. The OCCK Task Force met with Cooper on February 20, 2009, shortly after Cooper took office as the OCP. Present were Cooper and three assistant prosecutors, prosecutors Kym Worthy and Robert Moran from Wayne County, and Cory Williams and Garry Gray from the Task Force. Williams presented the facts and asked Cooper if she would charge anyone in the OCCK murders if the only evidence was circumstantial. I have therefore concluded that the evidence which was being accumulated had not been tested. In conclusion Cooper stated “that the current Task Force can count on the full support of the Oakland County Prosecutors Office”
I also received later oral advice that when Cooper learned Burgess was the Busch attorney Cooper stated her friend Burgess would not represent a pedophile who was charged in four separate cases. Cooper had to be reminded that Burgess pled Busch guilty in all four cases.
The MSP reports also contain an October5, 2009 email from MSP Sergeant Gary Gray to His superior, Captain Harold Love which states:
“7. Oakland County Prosecutor’s haven’t kept up to date on the investigation at their request….”
Did the close personal relationship with Burgess affect Cooper’s judgment? If you were the complaining party in a criminal case would a personal or professional relationship between the prosecutor and the defense attorney concern you? Why and when did the OCP stop receiving reports?