Northland Mall guards not guilty

On August 23, 2024, three former security guards from Northland Mall were acquitted of involuntary manslaughter charges related to the 2014 death of McKenzie Cochran, who died after being restrained by the guards. During the trial, it was revealed that Cochran had threatened violence before being restrained, during which he reportedly exclaimed that he couldn't breathe. The jury's decision came after a lengthy investigation, initially dismissed by the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office, which had ruled Cochran's death an accident. Attorney General Dana Nessel, who pursued the case after Cochran’s family requested a review in 2020, expressed disappointment at the verdict while acknowledging the efforts of her team. The incident drew parallels to other high-profile cases involving the use of force by security and police personnel. The guards' defense argued that the circumstances were accidental and not criminally negligent.