Wayne County prosecutor’s office to appeal
By SUE SUCHYTA
Times-Herald Newspapers
HEIGHTS – Charges against former Police Officer Paul Graff, 33, were dismissed Aug. 30 by 20th District Court Judge Mark Plawecki.
The brief ruling states that while the complainant may have subjectively feared battery, a reasonable person would not have feared it.
Battery is an unlawful application of force, directly or indirectly, upon a person or their possessions, injuring someone or committing an offensive contact. Assault can be charged if the threat of harm is present, and the person can reasonably fear harm, while battery refers to the act of harm.
It is alleged that at 1:25 p.m. on Dec. 10, 2021, at the Dearborn Heights police station, Graf committed two acts of assault by threatening to cut the other officer’s beard with a knife. Graf was terminated on April 25, 2022, and on July 24, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy charged Graf with two counts of felonious assault against another police officer in his department.
Worthy plans to appeal Plawecki’s dismissal of the charges.