LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — A retired Ingham County judge entered a plea of “no contest” after being charged with assault and battery in Aug. 2021, according to the Lansing City Pulse.
As a part of the plea bargain, former Chief Circuit Judge William Collette was required to pay around $425 in court costs and fees.
The charges relate back to an incident where Collette pulled the hair of a restaurant employee.
On May 29, 2021, Collette says he went to Dusty’s Celler in Okemos to pick up food for his wife.
When he walked inside, his path to his food was blocked by an employee, who was telling people they couldn’t enter.
He then says he asked her several times if she could move so he could get over to the counter to pick up his order.
Collette says he’s not sure the employee even heard him, as she said nothing, nor did she move out of the way. That’s when Collette says he tugged on the woman’s hair to get her attention.
“I tugged on her hair, I fully admit that,” said Collette in an interview with 6 News in August of 2021.
Collette’s attorney, Mary Chartier, confirmed to the Lansing City Pulse that the retired judge could face a civil lawsuit.
