Former judge accused of abusive behavior -- by another former judge

Former Judge Laura Baird ‘felt completely unsafe’ around Judge William Collette


TUESDAY, Aug. 10 — On the heels of a misdemeanor charge for allegedly assaulting a hostess at a local restaurant in May, former Ingham County Circuit Chief Judge William Collette is also being accused of repeatedly berating a former colleague before he retired from the bench in 2018.

Former Circuit Judge Laura Baird alleged today that Collette had repeatedly intimidated her when the two served together on the bench, to the point where she sought a concealed pistol license to protect herself against him. At the beginning of Baird’s tenure, Collette also developed a habit of publicly berating her in front of colleagues and once cocked his fist back as if he was going to strike, Baird alleged in an interview with City Pulse today.

“My first year on the bench, he was angry at me for something I said at a judge’s meeting, and he pulled his fist back at me,” Baird explained this afternoon. “I hadn’t been there long at the time that it happened. No one said anything. None of the other judges said anything, but three of them later said you better watch out; you better be careful around him. He’s going to hurt you.”

Collette was arraigned yesterday on a misdemeanor assault and battery charge in 55th District Court after authorities said he pulled the ponytail of a female employee at Dusty’s Cellar in Okemos. Baird said the news of Collette’s alleged abuse encouraged her to speak up today.

Read more: https://www.lansingcitypulse.com/stories/former-judge-accused-of-abusive-behavior-by-another-former-judge,17860