Bill Riney must pay $830 in restitution for protest on county building

15th District Judge Christopher Easthope issued a March 28 opinion and order, saying he didn’t believe police were victims under the Crime Victim’s Rights Act. All of the restitution will go to replace an electronic lock that SWAT team members had to break at a nearby parking structure during the incident.

While the Crime Victim's Rights Act provides that a victim could include a governmental entity, Easthope wrote, "the term victim implies that the entity suffered harm as a direct result of the complained of crime.”

“Having to respond to an incident and incurring overtime costs do not equate to direct financial harm,” he wrote. “Moreover, to extend victim status to all responders in this incident is beyond what I believe is the intent of the Crime Victim’s Act.”

Washtenaw County Chief Deputy Assistant Prosecutor Steve Hiller declined to comment Thursday on the ruling.

Riney’s attorney, Nader Nassif, said the thought the ruling was fair and the judge applied the act properly. “I don’t think the police were victims in this case,” Nassif said.

Riney, 59, of Ypsilanti Township, said he will have difficulty paying the restitution but is pleased with the ruling.

“I think the judge is a very courageous person to find the ruling that he has found,” Riney said. “The citizens of Ann Arbor should be very proud to have him as their judge.”

Prosecutors said during Riney's trial in December that he had a right to protest, but took it too far. Riney used a ladder to climb to the roof and the protest attracted a crowd of about two dozen people. It ended when SWAT team members moved in after Riney laid down on a mattress near the edge of the roof and put a blanket over his head.

A jury convicted Riney of trespassing and attempted resisting and obstructing, both of which are misdemeanors. He is serving a year of probation. Riney said he thought the protest was necessary and helped get his message out.

“People are still hurting and they still need jobs,” he said.

Lee Higgins covers crime and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached by phone at (734) 623-2527 and email at leehiggins@annarbor.com.