ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — A group of state representatives and leaders in St. Joseph and Branch counties are asking for the resignation of the St. Joseph County Prosecutor.
The letter, released on Monday and obtained by WOOD-TV, is directed to the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners and lists a number of complaints against Prosecutor John McDonough.
The statement claims that McDonough has failed to show up for work, has a lack of leadership, and has mismanaged his office, among other issues.
It reads, “To be very specific, Mr. McDonough’s habitual lack of attendance at his workplace for the last several years has resulted in a catastrophic backlog of criminal cases that has clogged the entire criminal justice system. His failure to meet the most basic expectation of showing up for work each day has resulted in many significant issues.”
Back on May 11th, 40-year-old McDonough was arrested after he crashed his car into a residential fence on the 17000 block of Lovers Lane in Lockport Township.
He was later arrested and taken to the St. Joseph County Jail for operating while under the influence of alcohol and for having open intoxicants in his vehicle.
However, a 911 call McDonough made to dispatchers that night had him claiming the crash was caused by a coughing fit.
McDonough’s pre-trial hearing has been scheduled for July 24th.
The prosecutor has held office in St. Joseph County for nearly 12 years, having first been elected to the role in 2008.
The letter, which is signed by 26 individuals from various townships in the county, ends by saying, “As your constituents and as residents of St. Joseph County, we are calling on you to ask for Mr. McDonough’s resignation by official resolution at tomorrow’s regular meeting. Your approximately 61,000 total constituents deserve better.”
