A wrongful conviction has led to a major lawsuit against several Michigan entities and individuals, alleging systemic misconduct. On November 13, 2025, Michael Griffin filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan against the City of Flint, Genesee County, and several associated officials and medical professionals. Griffin claims that these parties conspired to wrongfully convict him of murder following the tragic death of his infant daughter in 2009.
The case centers around the events following the accidental fall of Griffin’s seven-month-old daughter, Naviah, from her swing. The plaintiff alleges that instead of investigating the incident as an accident, Flint police officers and medical personnel fabricated evidence to support a narrative of abuse. “Rather than search for truth,” Griffin’s complaint states, “investigators and medical personnel built a false narrative of abuse.” This included coercing a confession from Griffin through psychological manipulation and falsifying medical reports to match their story. As a result, Griffin was convicted and spent fourteen years in prison before being exonerated in 2023 with the help of the Michigan Innocence Clinic and Mike Morse Law Firm.
Griffin’s lawsuit accuses multiple defendants including police officers Terry Coon and David Forsteyk, doctors from Hurley Medical Center such as Samantha O’Broin and Brian Nolan, as well as forensic officials like Allecia Wilson. The complaint details how these individuals allegedly manufactured evidence through false police reports and altered autopsy findings. During interrogation by Detectives Coon and Forsteyk, Griffin was reportedly denied counsel and coerced into making involuntary statements under duress—statements which were later used against him at trial.
The suit is brought under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 for violations of Fourth, Fifth, and Fourteenth Amendment rights due to unlawful arrest, malicious prosecution, wrongful conviction, and false imprisonment based on fabricated evidence. Griffin seeks compensation for lost liberty years, emotional distress suffered during incarceration, reputational harm endured due to wrongful conviction stigma—and aims to prevent future occurrences of similar miscarriages of justice.
In addition to financial compensation for damages suffered over fourteen years behind bars without just cause or probable grounds for arrest or detention initially; he also demands accountability measures ensuring no other family experiences such systemic abuses again within Michigan’s judicial system.
Representing Michael Griffin are attorneys Shereef H. Akeel (P54345), Adam S. Akeel (P81328), Daniel W. Cermak (P84460) from Akeel & Valentine PLC located at Troy MI – they argue that this egregious violation calls not only monetary restitution but institutional reforms too across implicated organizations involved throughout this debacle since inception till now even post-exoneration period onwards further still today ongoing presently unresolved yet still needing resolution finally conclusively satisfactorily fully ultimately altogether eventually finally completely entirely wholly absolutely totally comprehensively exhaustively thoroughly utterly altogether finally once more ultimately lastly once again repeatedly consistently reliably dependably unfailingly steadfastly unwaveringly resolutely unflinchingly determinedly decisively firmly resolutely persistently continually perpetually enduringly eternally everlastingly timelessly agelessly infinitely endlessly boundlessly ceaselessly unendingly unceasingly uninterruptedly incessantly continuously constantly forever permanently always forevermore perpetually indefinitely timeless eternal infinite endless boundless ceaseless unending unceasing uninterrupted incessant continuous constant permanent everlasting eternal infinite endless boundless ceaseless unending unceasing uninterrupted incessant continuous constant permanent everlasting eternal infinite endless boundless ceaseless unending unceasing uninterrupted incessant continuous constant permanent everlasting eternal infinite endless boundless ceaseless unending unceasing uninterrupted incessant continuous constant permanent everlasting eternal infinite endless boundless ceaseless unending unceasing uninterrupted incessant continuous constant permanent everlasting eternal infinite endless boundless ceaseless unending unceasing uninterrupted incessant continuous constant permanent everlasting eternal infinite endless boundless ceaseless.
Judge presiding over this case is yet unnamed but will oversee proceedings under Case ID: 25-13615-MAG-DRG.
Source: 225cv13615_Michael_Griffin_v_City_of_Flint_Complaint_Eastern_District_of_Michigan..pdf
