The retrial for a man who is accused of killing the owner of the Clinton Township fence company where he worked then wounding a fellow employee is scheduled to begin Wednesday in Macomb County Circuit Court.
Jerry Motley Jr., 32, is again mounting an insanity defense for his murder and attempt-murder charges at his jury trial for the 2018 shooting death of Thomas Badke, 61, owner of the defunct Reliable Fence Co., and wounding foreman Angelo “Joe” Micale.
Motley, who worked there about a year but knew the owners previously, believed he was being racially bullied, particularly by Micale, and blamed Badke for not stopping it. Motley was the only Black employee among about 15 workers at the shop.
A jury was selected Tuesday, and opening statements are set for Wednesday afternoon.
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