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All criminal charges dismissed against Owosso barber

Posted at 2:37 PM, Oct 19, 2020
and last updated 2020-10-19 14:37:33-04

OWOSSO, Mich. (WXYZ) — All criminal charges filed against Karl Manke, a 77-year-old barber in Owosso, have been dismissed.

Manke made national headlines after he decided to reopen his barbershop, violating Governor Gretchen Whitmer's stay-at-home order.

After the Michigan Supreme Court struck down Whitmer's executive orders, the Shiawassee County prosecutor dismissed charges.

Manke still faces a trial for an administration licensing action.

“I appreciate the prosecutor dismissing all criminal charges against me in light of the Supreme Court’s decision. It is definitely a weight off my shoulders. I just want to earn a living, and I am not a health threat to anyone,” Manke said. “The Courts have consistently upheld my constitutional rights affirming that the governor’s attempts to shut me down were out of line.”

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