Mike McKenzie, a distinguished attorney known for his dedication to freeing wrongfully convicted individuals, was tragically shot and killed along with his wife, Darla, in Alabama on Tuesday. The couple, aged 72 and 68, respectively, were visiting their daughter in Etowah County, located about two hours west of Atlanta, Georgia, when the fatal incident occurred.
According to local authorities, their son-in-law, Christopher Scott Johnson, has been charged with capital murder and is currently being held without bond. At this time, police have not disclosed a possible motive for the shooting.
Mike McKenzie had become a well-known figure in legal circles, particularly for his work in helping exonerate individuals who had been wrongfully convicted in Michigan. He specialized in arson cases, focusing on those where faulty science was used to convict innocent people.
His collaboration with fire investigators like John Lentini began in the 1980s when they worked together on fire insurance cases. Over time, their efforts expanded into fighting wrongful convictions caused by flawed forensic evidence in arson cases.
John Lentini, a certified fire investigator based in Florida, recalled how McKenzie’s pursuit of justice was always unwavering. “He did not go for bad outcomes,” Lentini shared. “If things are wrong and he’s got the capability to fix them, then by God, that’s what he’s going to do.” This drive for fairness and truth became the cornerstone of McKenzie’s career.
McKenzie began his association with the Michigan Innocence Clinic around 2009, offering his expertise completely pro bono. Imran Syed, Co-director of the Michigan Innocence Clinic, highlighted McKenzie’s unique ability to handle “junk fire science” cases, which often led to wrongful arson convictions.
McKenzie’s work played a key role in securing freedom for more than a dozen wrongfully convicted individuals across the United States, many of whom had spent years, if not decades, behind bars. His impact was not only felt in Michigan but across the nation, as he helped shine a light on the flawed forensic practices that led to these wrongful convictions.
“Mike did all this incredible work without charging a dime to any of my clients or the clients of any other innocence project,” Syed remarked. “He was a beloved friend and mentor to many young lawyers across the country, and few can dream to leave behind as many monumental good deeds as he did.”
One of McKenzie’s most notable cases was that of David Gavitt, who was wrongfully convicted of starting a fire that killed his wife and two children in Ionia, Michigan, in 1985. McKenzie, along with Lentini, challenged the evidence used to convict Gavitt, which included inaccurate and misleading forensic analysis of the fire scene.
Lentini’s review of the Michigan State Police lab’s chemistry revealed serious flaws in the tests used to link gasoline to the fire. This discovery led to Gavitt’s exoneration after 27 years in prison. Today, Gavitt, now 66, continues to mourn McKenzie’s death, describing him and his wife as close friends and supporters.
“Mike and Darla were like family to us,” Gavitt said. “They worked so hard, and not only did they work hard to help get me exonerated, but they believed in me, and they trusted me. And that meant a lot. That meant so much.”
Gavitt often reflects on why McKenzie, an attorney based in Georgia, took on his case in the first place. “He’s a very special, caring person,” Gavitt said. “He could have said, ‘No, I don’t want nothing to do with it.’ Why he accepted my case to work on it? I don’t know. I can’t answer that question, only Mike could.”
The tragic deaths of Mike and Darla McKenzie have left a deep void in the legal community, particularly within innocence organizations that fight for the exoneration of wrongfully convicted individuals. While the full details of the tragedy are still unfolding, McKenzie’s legacy as a champion of justice and an advocate for the wrongfully convicted will undoubtedly live on. His work has had an indelible impact on the lives of those he helped free and will continue to inspire others who share his commitment to justice and truth.
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