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On Monday morning, Clarence Gomery was arraigned on a felony charge of homicide-solicitation of murder, according to UpNorthLive. Gomery is an attorney from Gomery and Associates.
Gomery was arrested on Monday and appeared in front of Judge Michael Stepka in the 86th District Court.
A felony complaint from court records shows that Dale Fisher was asked by Gomery to murder Chris Cooke on July 10, 2014. Cooke is also an attorney. Gomery was going to pay Fisher $20,000. The two met in Gomery’s Traverse City office.
Fisher was given $1,000 to purchase a gun on July 13, 2014 that would be used to kill Cooke. Bob Cooney, the Grand Traverse County Prosecutor, said that there will be no charges for Fisher. According to Cooney, Fisher warned Cooke that Gomery solicited his murder. Fisher and Cooke told the Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Department of the plan on July 12, 2014.
“The reason that I feel safe at this point is because Dale Fisher came forward when he was approached by Mr. Gomery and had the strength and fortitude of character to go to the police about it and to come to me about it,” said Cooke.
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“I felt that it was just my human obligation to prevent a murder,” Fisher said. “I felt that if somebody did that to me, I would hope that a person would come forward and give all the facts to the proper authorities.”
An arrest warrant was issued for Gomery Sunday. Nathan Alger, the undersheriff, said that there were plans in place to have Gomery turn himself into authorities.
“Mr. Gomery changed his position on that to leaving and we then began trying to locate Mr. Gomery,” said Undersheriff Alger. “We did locate him at a residence in Leelanau County. The sheriff’s office and the Leelanau County Sheriff’s Office tried to get ahold of him via a P.A. system outside of that residence and Mr. Gomery refused to come to the door. So officers set up outside that residence and waited for him to leave the residence at which time he was arrested.”
Judge Stepka issued bond of $5 million for Gomery, whom he described as a concern for public safety. Gomery had been notified on Sunday night to turn himself in, but he refused to do so.
“I want to make sure people understand that if you stand up and you do the right thing and you tell the truth, and you act ethically and responsibly, the system does operate the way it’s supposed to,” Cooke said.
Gomery has worked as the Leelanau County Prosecutor during his career, from 1997 to 2000. He also worked as the Grand Traverse County Assistant Prosecutor from 1991 to 1993.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 28th.
