(Kalamazoo) – A Michigan mother and civil rights advocate may soon find herself on trial for daring to challenge corruption and exercise her first amendment rights.
Rita Williams, 37, of Richland, is a restorative justice professional, human rights advocate, and investigative journalist. She began investigating governmental corruption in Barry County, Michigan after her husband’s 2023 wrongful conviction. She has since expanded her focus to multiple states, even working to uncover lack of mental health care and food contamination at Washington State Penitentiary and police cover-ups in . She is a Doctoral Candidate at Walden University, pursuing a Ph.D. in Criminal Justice, with a focus on Law and Public Policy.
She is facing up to one year in Barry County Michigan jail should she lose.
“I reported the misconduct to every level of government in Michigan; even the Attorney General’s office. Not a single agency cared. It’s terrifying that citizens have no protection against corruption and there is zero accountability for public officials.” Ms. Williams was accused of sending too many emails to officials public email accounts.