Pittsford man hopeful Supreme Court will halt CSC case

Corey Murray, Hillsdale Daily News
·2 min read
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HILLSDALE — A Hillsdale man is turning to Michigan’s Supreme Court in an attempt to quash a case where he is charged with three counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct.

Eddie Wayne Willis, 70, was arrested May 6, 2022, by the Hillsdale County Sheriff’s Office on a felony warrant alleging sexual acts with a teen Amish girl. The charges were filed after an investigation.

The girl, whose name is being withheld due to the nature of the allegations, testified during a preliminary examination hearing in fall 2022, that Willis, her neighbor, hired her to do jobs around his house when she was 15.

While performing this work, the girl accused Willis of fondling her and making repeated sexual advances.

Willis’ case was bound over to the 1st Judicial Circuit Court following a preliminary examination hearing and Willis — through his attorney — filed a motion to quash the proceedings, saying probable cause was never shown during the examination to show the girl was forced or coerced in the sexual acts.

Judge Sara S. Lisznyai denied Willis’ motion and later granted him leave to appeal her decision to the Michigan Court of Appeals, which concluded “the totality of the circumstances established probable cause" that the assaults took place.

The alleged sexual abuse continued for two years and on numerous occasions, court records indicate, and, as the Court of Appeals ruled, the victim was subjected to a coercive environment.

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Willis is now appealing to Michigan’s Supreme Court; it is unclear when the court will respond, but the high court could refuse to hear the appeal and allow the appeals court ruling to stand.

If the MSC overturns the appeals court ruling, the case would be sent back to Hillsdale County’s 1st Judicial Circuit Court for trial.

Willis is tentatively scheduled for a continued criminal pretrial conference in the matters at 1 p.m. March 4, 2024, before Lisznyai. He faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted as charged.

— Contact Reporter Corey Murray at cmurray@hillsdale.net or follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @cmurrayHDN.

This article originally appeared on Hillsdale Daily News: Pittsford man hopeful Supreme Court will halt CSC case