Detroit Attorney Disbarred After $659,821 Settlement Meant for Bereaved Family Went Missing

 

A decade after losing her 3-year-old daughter, Tabatha Kerr is still trying to get answers. Now she is also seeking to learn what happened to nearly $660,000 intended for her family from a wrongful-death settlement.

Detroit attorney Gregory Rohl, who handled the case, was disbarred effective Oct. 1 and ordered to pay $659,821.44 in restitution, along with $1,446.14 in costs. In the attorney-discipline matter, Rohl pleaded no contest to misappropriating settlement funds and failing to distribute court-ordered shares.

The ruling said his conduct brought the legal profession into disrepute and violated standards of justice and honesty.

Kerr described the past nine years as lonely, stressful and hollow. Her daughter, Lilliana, died on Jan. 20, 2017, when a 350-pound cafeteria table fell from its wall casing at a Head Start program in Dearborn Heights. Lilliana’s twin sister and older brother survived her.

Kerr says the settlement was meant to help her children, but the money never reached them. She has continued to press for accountability over her daughter’s death while raising her surviving children. Her son is now 19, and Lilliana’s twin is 13.

Rohl says others were involved

Rohl said he is recovering from a stroke and has not knowingly taken money from a client. He said a deceased law partner and office manager took control

of the firm while he was receiving medical treatment. According to Rohl, he later learned that money remained in his trust account and had not been transferred as intended.

He also pointed to a probate attorney who, he said, had been appointed to secure the remaining funds for the children. Rohl said a civil lawsuit against the former office manager was dismissed on statute-of-limitations grounds, and he has agreed to a consent judgment against himself and his firm. He said the matter is ongoing and that any money recovered from others should offset what he owes.

The disciplinary ruling, however, holds Rohl responsible for the loss because the trust account was in his name.

A long campaign for school safety

Since Lilliana’s death, Kerr has become an advocate for changes to school safety requirements. She is pushing for legislation known as Lilliana’s Law, which would require annual health and safety inspections at public and private schools and create a statewide registry of school safety incidents.

The current proposal would require school boards to inspect their facilities for health and safety violations. Kerr has testified in Lansing, gathered nearly 32,300 petition signatures and assembled a 510-page research book on hazards in schools.

She says the goal is to give schools a clearer framework for identifying risks and preventing injuries and deaths. Her friends say they have watched her turn grief into a sustained effort to protect other children.

For Kerr, the missing settlement has added another painful battle to a loss that remains part of daily life. She says she promised Lilliana she would keep fighting—and intends to continue until she gets answers for her children.

Michigan House Approves Plan to Eliminate Six-Mill Education Tax, Promising Property Tax Relief

 

LANSING, Mich. — Michigan homeowners could be one step closer to seeing a significant reduction in their property tax bills after the Michigan House approved legislation that would eliminate the state's long-standing six-mill State Education Tax.

House Bill 5873, backed by House Republicans, would repeal the statewide property tax that currently helps fund Michigan's K-12 public schools. Supporters estimate the proposal would reduce property tax bills by approximately 14%, providing financial relief to homeowners facing rising housing costs, inflation, and increasing property assessments.

Republican lawmakers say the legislation is aimed at making homeownership more affordable, particularly for seniors living on fixed incomes and young families trying to purchase their first home.

State Rep. Steve Frisbie, R-Pennfield Township, said Michigan families deserve relief as the cost of living continues to climb.

"In a time where anything that could be done to help with affordability, this is something we can do to deliver results," Frisbie said.

Relief for Homeowners

The six-mill State Education Tax has been collected since the passage of Proposal A in 1994 and applies to most property owners across Michigan. While property tax increases are limited under Michigan law, rapidly rising home values have still resulted in many homeowners paying substantially more in taxes over the past several years.

Supporters argue eliminating the tax would leave more money in the hands of Michigan families while making homeownership more affordable across the state.

For homeowners struggling with higher mortgage payments, insurance premiums, and everyday expenses, a 14% reduction in property taxes could translate into hundreds of dollars in annual savings.

Questions About School Funding

The proposal has also generated significant debate because the six-mill tax currently generates roughly $3 billion annually for Michigan's School Aid Fund.

To offset the loss, House Republicans approved a companion measure, House Bill 5880, which would replace the education funding through a combination of General Fund appropriations, state spending reductions, and a proposed 6% tax on certain luxury, non-essential, and artificial intelligence-related services.

Because the two bills are tie-barred, neither can become law unless both are approved by the Legislature and signed by the governor.

Democratic lawmakers have questioned whether the replacement funding would provide schools with the same long-term financial stability as the existing education tax.

State Rep. John Fitzgerald, D-Wyoming, voiced concerns during debate.

"Without a clear and defined backfill to this, I'm concerned that this is truly a challenge not only for the individuals paying the tax but for the entire stream from schools to workforce that will be impacted," Fitzgerald said.

Education advocates have also warned that any interruption in funding could affect teacher salaries, classroom resources, transportation, building maintenance, and student programs if replacement revenue falls short.

Republicans: Lansing Has a Spending Problem

Republicans maintain that Michigan's budget is large enough to provide tax relief without harming education.

They argue the issue is not a lack of revenue but how state government prioritizes spending. Supporters believe lawmakers should identify savings elsewhere in the budget rather than continue relying on property taxes that many homeowners say have become increasingly burdensome.

The debate reflects a broader philosophical divide in Lansing over taxation and government spending. Republicans view the proposal as a way to reduce the tax burden on working families, while Democrats argue stable and predictable school funding should remain the state's top priority.

Senate Approval Still Needed

Although House Bill 5873 has passed the Michigan House, the legislation still faces several hurdles before becoming law.

The Michigan Senate has not yet taken up the proposal, and Democrats control that chamber. If senators amend the legislation or reject portions of the package, both chambers would need to negotiate a final version before it could be sent to the governor.

Whether the proposal ultimately becomes law remains uncertain, but the legislation has already sparked one of the state's biggest policy debates of the year.

For Michigan homeowners, the measure offers the possibility of meaningful property tax relief. For educators and school districts, however, the central question remains whether lawmakers can reduce taxes while ensuring that public schools continue to receive reliable, long-term funding.

Streisand Effect Reshapes Michigan Senate Primary as Abdul El-Sayed Surges

 

Detroit, MI — A new Emerson College Polling survey is shaking up Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary, showing Abdul El-Sayed surging into a statistical tie for first place — a dramatic shift in a race that had looked far more settled just months ago.

According to the April poll, El-Sayed now commands 24% support, up sharply from 16% in January, putting him neck-and-neck with Mallory McMorrow, who also sits at 24%. Meanwhile, Haley Stevens has slipped to 13%, marking a notable decline in her standing.

The “Streisand Effect” in Play

The sudden rise of El-Sayed is being linked by some analysts to the Streisand effect — the idea that attempts to suppress or attack a candidate can unintentionally boost their visibility. Increased attention, whether positive or negative, appears to have expanded El-Sayed’s reach among voters who may not have previously been engaged.

Dominating Younger Voters

One of the most striking findings in the poll is El-Sayed’s overwhelming support among younger voters. Among those under 40, he leads by a wide margin:

• El-Sayed: 35%

• Nearest competitor: 18%

This 17-point advantage suggests a strong generational divide in the race, with younger voters gravitating toward his message and campaign style.

A Wide-Open Race

Despite the movement at the top, the race remains far from decided. A significant 36% of voters are still undecided, leaving ample room for shifts in momentum as the campaign progresses.

That large undecided bloc could ultimately determine whether El-Sayed’s surge is a temporary spike or the beginning of a sustained lead.

What It Means Going Forward

The numbers point to a Democratic primary that is increasingly fluid:

• El-Sayed is gaining traction and visibility

• McMorrow remains firmly competitive at the top

• Stevens faces pressure to regain lost ground

• A large share of voters are still up for grabs

With months to go, the Michigan Senate race is shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable and closely watched primaries in the country.