SADOWSKI

MARQUETTE — A video of an altercation in the Alger County Jail cannot be used as evidence in the murder trial of Jason Sadowski.

The Michigan Court of Appeals ruled Thursday that prosecutors cannot use a jailhouse video as evidence against Sadowski, 49, who is facing a homicide-open murder charge in connection with the May 30, 2019, death of a Munising man.

The 58-year-old victim, who was Sadowski’s roommate, was found dead of asphyxia as the result of bleeding after having suffered severe facial injuries, the document states.

“Text messages between the victim and defendant indicate that the victim had apparently decided to evict defendant from the victim’s house,” officials say. “When law enforcement met with defendant on the night the victim was discovered, defendant’s right hand was swollen and injured.”

The Marquette County Prosecutor’s Office filed motions to introduce videos of assaults by Sadowski while lodged in the jail. The Alger County Circuit Court admitted one of the videos “which depicted (the) defendant assaulting another prisoner in jail who had antagonized the defendant,” court documents state.

“In the video, defendant is seen punching and choking the victim, who fell unconscious,” the ruling states. “The victim regained consciousness quickly and told guards that he was OK. The prosecutor argued that the video was admissible to demonstrate defendant’s method of causing harm to people, and how defendant reacts to being insulted.”

The ruling states the “trial court erred” by granting the prosecutor’s motion to admit the video because admission of the video violates Michigan Rules of Evidence regarding character evidence and the exclusion of relevant evidence for prejudice or confusion.

Sadowski has had multiple court dates since his arrest on June 7, 2019.

Lisa Bowers can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 242. Her email address is lbowers@miningjournal.net.