Bell gets two years probation for second case involving Macomb commissioner
A former candidate for office in Warren was sentenced to two years probation Wednesday after pleading guilty to two misdemeanors for his conduct toward his ex-girlfriend, a Macomb County commissioner.
Jerry Bell received the sentence from Judge Kathryn Viviano in Macomb County Circuit Court in Mount Clemens after pleading to stalking and domestic violence, second offense, for his actions in December 2021 involving county Commissioner Michelle Nard of Warren. Both charges are misdemeanors punishable by up to one year in jail.
He also was sentenced to 331 days in jail, which he has already served.
Charges of carjacking, unlawful imprisonment, aggravated stalking and felonious assault were dismissed.
Bell pleaded last November
under an agreement that sentenced him to five years probation.
However, state probation officials recommended a sentence of only six months probation with a tether, and Assistant Genesee County Prosecutor Karen Hanson said she could accept that after Nard agreed it would be OK.
An out-of-county prosecutor’s office handled the case due to Nard’s role as a commissioner.
But Viviano noted there was a “significant reduction of charges” and said she could only reduce it to two years probation, with the first six months on a tether, and completion of an angermanagement course.
“You do sort of have a history here,” Viviano said, referring to another incident involving Nard that also resulted in criminal charges. “You need to get that in check.”
Bell said he has completed eight sessions of an anger-management program that Viviano ordered him to complete.
Bell is already about 16 months into a five-year probation sentence for the prior incident involving Nard.
On Bell’s request, Viviano also allowed Bell to attend political events that Nard may also attend.
“I’m involved in politics so sometimes we connect on the campaign circuit,” Bell said.
Bell and Nard once ran against each other for the Warren City Council.
Viviano also said Bell must get his general education degree; he said he needs to complete two more classes.
Bell apologized for his actions. “I definitely apologize to the victim, terrible decision,” he told Viviano. “I’m just looking forward to moving forward.”
Nard alleged Bell forced her to go shopping at several stores Dec. 27, 2021, and displayed a knife to her while she was driving. She went inside the Shoe Rack Outlet on Gratiot Avenue, and police were called. Nard at the time had a Personal Protection Order against him.
Three months earlier, Nard accused him of actions that resulted in him being charged with criminal sexual conduct, extortion, assault by strangulation, felonious assault and kidnapping.
That case was resolved in November 2021 with guilty pleas to misdemeanor stalking and domestic violence. Bell received five years probation and was required to complete 52 weeks of batterers intervention counseling.