A man has filed a lawsuit against two police officers and a county in Michigan, alleging misconduct that led to his wrongful conviction and nearly seven years of incarceration. On November 25, 2025, Zachary Lally filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan against Gregory Thompson, Chad Sell, and Livingston County.
The case dates back to October 4, 2018, when Lally was arrested at Oak Pointe Country Club in Brighton, Michigan. Initially detained for being drunk and disorderly, he later faced allegations of sexual assault against a minor co-worker named McKenna Crossley. According to the complaint, Lally claims that the police officers involved fabricated evidence and coerced witnesses to strengthen their case against him. Specifically, Detective-Sergeant Gregory Thompson is accused of falsifying reports to align with Crossley’s inconsistent statements over time. Lieutenant Chad Sell allegedly manipulated Crossley’s mother into pursuing charges by providing false information about the necessity of a SANE (sexual-assault nurse examination) exam.
Lally’s first trial in March 2020 resulted in convictions based on what he asserts were fabricated testimonies and prosecutorial misconduct. However, post-conviction proceedings revealed inconsistencies and falsehoods in the officers’ testimonies. In March 2021, Judge Michael Hatty vacated Lally’s convictions due to these findings. The State’s appeal was denied by higher courts, leading to a retrial in July 2025 where Lally was acquitted on all counts after new evidence came to light.
The lawsuit accuses Livingston County of failing to adequately train its detectives on proper interviewing techniques for minors and maintaining policies that condoned unconstitutional conduct by law enforcement officers. Lally seeks $20 million in compensatory damages and $10 million in punitive damages from each individual defendant for the alleged violations of his constitutional rights under the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments.
Representing Lally is Wolfgang Mueller from Mueller Law Firm. The case is presided over by Judge Khary Hanible following recusals from local judges due to potential conflicts of interest. The case identification number is 2:25-cv-13798-JEL-APP.
Source: 225cv13798_Zachary_Lally_v_Gregory_Thompson_Complaint_Eastern_District_of_Michigan.pdf
