MI - Mark Marschke, 19, shot to death, Armada Township, 2 May 2007

Distraught cop quits after his son's killer acquitted of top charges
By Jameson Cook
Journal Register News Service
Thursday, February 21, 2008

A disillusioned Steve Marschke quit as a Clinton Township police officer last month, soon after a jury acquitted the man who fatally shot his son of the two most serious charges against him.

Marschke walked into the station on Groesbeck Highway Jan. 14 and cleaned out his locker after he heard a Macomb County Circuit Court jury convict Chad Hopkins of the lesser charges of reckless or careless use of a firearm and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Hopkins, 20, shot Mark Marschke, 19, on May 2 at Hopkins' house in Armada Township.

The jury's acquittal of Hopkins on the more serious charges of second-degree murder and manslaughter on top of the loss of his son was too much for Marschke.

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Full article: click here

shadowraiths said:

Distraught cop quits after his son's killer acquitted of top charges
By Jameson Cook
Journal Register News Service
Thursday, February 21, 2008


Full article: click here

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How can you uphold the law when you have no faith in it??

My heart goes out to him. This is truly a tragic story.

"He has retired and moved from the county," said Ryan Johnson, the probation officer in the case. "He has lost faith in the (justice) system. He is receiving counseling."

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Another heartbreaking story.

This poor man. The Judge ordered this creep to pay for funeral expenses although he can dispute the amount. I highly doubt this family wants jack from this guy or his family. Why didn't they take into account this guys prior federal offenses? Well, now this poor dad has to walk around this world with a broken heart and God knows what else. Well, at least he's getting a pension as they stated. Big whoop!

Even though both of the boys were drunk or so says the only one left alive how does LE know that the story of the accident is true? So you are holding a gun and your friend walks up to it until it is sticking in his stomach and he says "shot me" and so you pull the trigger???? That doesn't even sound right. Then he drags the body a mile and covers it with leaves so he won't get in trouble? I don't blame the father for feeling like he does. Seems like this kid should have gotten something for killing his friend.

This kid's record would make me question his honesty....


Halpern's comment that Hopkins is a "good kid" was countered by the judge. It was revealed in court Wednesday Hopkins has three prior felony convictions and four misdemeanor convictions, and at the time of the shooting was on probation for a misdemeanor assault conviction for an incident at Armada High School in which he struck the parent of a student with a metal pipe.

That is quite a record for a kid as young as this one. Three prior felonies! I wonder if the jury knew about his priors before they reached a decision?

Bobbisangel said:

I wonder if the jury knew about his priors before they reached a decision?

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Prolly not. They're not allowed to bring priors to light unless they can show probative bearing on the case.

shadowraiths said:

Prolly not. They're not allowed to bring priors to light unless they can show probative bearing on the case.

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That is a rule that should be changed because it shows their behavior and what they have done before even if it has nothing to do with the current case. I think a jury should know everything about the person that is charged and on trial.

The father of the murderer said Mark's twin brother had lived at his home and Mark stayed there often. True or not his son still murdered his friend and drug his body out to hide it. No call to 911. Drunk young men with guns are dangerous. I was with friends when something similar happend when I was around 20. As soon as I saw a gun come out I up and left immediately. It wound up one of the guys shot his friend in the face. They called 911 immediately. It wasa miracle the guy lived and actually after plastic surgery looked decent. He was a realy handsome guy too. The shooter got some slap on the wrist as his friend didn't want to press charges as they were both drunk. He did get a record though. This is just really sad. So sad for the family.