State Rep. Bob Genetski was stonefaced as the jury announced its decision — he was guilty of operating while intoxicated near MSU’s campus — after just under two hours of deliberation about the case Tuesday afternoon.
For the past two days, Genetski, R-Saugatuck, sat through a jury trial in East Lansing’s 54-B District Court as the prosecution presented evidence of him operating while intoxicated on Jan. 19 and driving with a blood alcohol content of at least .08.
The legislator and chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Higher Education could face a maximum penalty of 93 days in jail, although his attorney Mike Nichols said first-time offenders in East Lansing usually just get probation. Since last spring, Genetski has been driving with a restricted license only permitting him to drive to and from work and court appearances.
Nichols said he was not surprised by the jury’s decision.
“We tried this case with class and we’re going to live with the outcome — that’s the way it is,” he said.
Nichols could not comment on how this charge will affect Genetski’s future in politics, and he said he advised his client not to speak to the media until after sentencing, which likely will not happen until early November.
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