GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Just one week after a judge set the date for the civil trial against Brian Keely, his attorneys are now asking for a pause on the case.
On Tuesday, Keely's attorneys filed a motion to stay the civil proceedings until a resolution is reached in the criminal case against him.
This stems from a May 28 opinion from Judge Hala Jarbou, who dismissed the criminal charges against Keely, saying he's entitled to immunity under the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
About a month later, the Michigan Attorney General's Office appealed that ruling with the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati. The appeal is still pending.
Keely's attorneys argue that both the criminal and civil cases arise from the same incident and involve identical factual and legal issues — saying that if the civil trial were to move forward on the scheduled dates, that would force Keely to waive his Fifth Amendment Rights or forfeit his ability to defend himself.
Keely, a former Detective Sergeant with Michigan State Police, was originally charged with second-degree murder in the death of Samuel Sterling.
Sterling died after being hit by an unmarked cruiser that Keely was driving during a pursuit in Kentwood on April 17, 2024. He was wanted for several outstanding felony warrants.
Sterling's family filed a lawsuit against Keely in January seeking financial damages tied to the suffering of the 25-year-old before he died from his injuries, as well as the family's loss.
The civil trial is currently scheduled to begin on November 2, 2026. It is estimated to run 7-10 days.
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