BLOCKED FROM 9 A.M. AND 3 P.M.
♪
>> Rhonda: A LIFE DEDICATED TO
MICHIGAN POLITICS AND PUBLIC
SERVICE.
>> I FOLLOWED MY FATHER IN AND
OUT OF DEMOCRATIC PARTY MEETINGS
FROM THE TIME I WAS 12.
FROM THE TIME I WAS 18 OR 19, I
WAS RUNNING HALF THE CITY FOR
DEMOCRATIC PARTY-RELATED
ACTIVITY.
>> Rhonda: AT 37, HE BECAME ONE
OF MICHIGAN’S YOUNGEST SUPREME
COURT JUSTICES.
>> THE BEST JOB THAT I EVER HAD
IN MY LIFE.
>> Rhonda: THE HONORABLE CONRAD
MALIK, JR. IS ONE OF THE ONLY
FIVE BLACK MICHIGAN SUPREME
COURT JUSTICES IN THE 216-YEAR
HISTORY, JUDGE MALLET WAS THE
THIRD APPOINTED TO JOINT CHIEFS
OF STAFF JUSTICE.
SERVES AS THE DEPUTY MAYOR UNDER
MAYOR MIKE DUGGAN, HE IS A
MARRIED FATHER OF THREE BORN AND
RAISED IN DETROIT IS TRULY
LIVING HISTORY, GIVING ALL
CREDIT TO HIS PARENTS.
>> MY MOTHER AND C. L. FRANKLIN,
ARETHA’S FRANKLIN, WERE THE
PRINCIPAL ORGANIZERS OF MARTIN
LUTHER KING 1963 MARCH DOWN WOODWARD.
MY FATHER WAS ONE OF THE
ORIGINAL APPOINTEES OF THE
MAYOR.
>> IN 1964, JOHN CONYERS WON HIS
FIRST ELECTION FOR CONGRESS.
MY FATHER AND HE WERE LONGTIME
FRIENDS.
>> Rhonda: AT 11, VIVIDLY
REMEMBERS THE DAY THEY MET.
>> I SAID, WHO IS HE?
HOW DOES HE BECOME A
CONGRESSMAN?
AND MY FATHER SAID, FIRST, YOU
HAVE TO BE A LAWYER, WHICH IS
NOT TRUE.
BUT FROM THAT POINT ON, I WANTED
TO BE A LAWYER.
>> Rhonda: RIGHT OUT OF LAW
SCHOOL --
>> MALCOLM DAY, THE CHIEF
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO COLEMAN
A. YOUNG TOOK ME WITH HIM TO
WASHINGTON, D.C., HE WENT TO
WORK FOR PRESIDENT CARTER.
I WENT TO WORK AT THE DEMOCRATIC
NATIONAL COMMITTEE.
WE WON THE COLEMAN YOUNG
CAMPAIGN.
HE SAID, I WANT YOU TO BE THE
DETROIT CAMPAIGN MANAGER FOR
CONGRESSMAN JAMES BLANCHARD WHO
WAS RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR.
>> Rhonda: HE BECAME THE
GOVERNOR’S LEGAL ADVISOR AND
THEIR CLOSENESS BUILT A LOYALTY
AND TRUST THAT WOULD CHANGE
MALLET’S LIFE A DECADE LATER.
>> DENNIS ARCHER ON THE SUPREME
COURT WAS THINKING ABOUT RUNNING
FOR MAYOR.
>> Rhonda: HIS NAME WAS ON THE
GOVERNOR’S CONSIDERATION LIST
FOR THE SEAT.
>> BECAUSE OF MY AGE, 37, I WAS
IN THE CONVERSATION BUT NOT
SERIOUSLY.
>> Rhonda: BUT GOVERNOR BRAN
CHARD WAS DEAD SERIOUS AND HE
WAS ELECTED TO THE MICHIGAN
SUPREME COURT IN 1990.
HOW WERE YOU RECEIVED BY THE
OTHER JUSTICES?
>> I WAS GONNA BE JUDGED ON THE
QUALITY OF MY WORK, THAT WAS IT.
AND EITHER I STOOD UP AND MET
THE TEST OR I DIDN’T.
>> Rhonda: HE DID.
>> RAN AGAIN IN 1994.
MY COLLEAGUES ELECTED ME CHIEF
JUSTICE IN 1996.
>> Rhonda: THE FIRST BLACK CHIEF
JUSTICE IN MICHIGAN HISTORY.
>> THAT IS YOUR COLLEAGUES’
ASSESSMENT OF YOUR ABILITY TO
LEAD THE COURT, YOUR ABILITY TO
LEAD AND REPRESENT THE ENTIRE
COURT SYSTEM IN THE STATE OF
MICHIGAN.
>> Rhonda: SINCE 2017, THERE HAD
BEEN NO SUPREME COURT JUSTICES
OF COLOR.
DOES IT TROUBLE YOU THERE’S NO
RACIAL DIVERSITY ON THE COURT
NOW?
>> DIVERSITY FOR ITS OWN SAKE IS
A GOOD THING.
THE PRESENCE OF AN
AFRICAN-AMERICAN ON THE COURT IS
IMPORTANT.
>> Rhonda: HE LEFT WHAT HE CALLS
THE BEST JOB OF HIS LIFE FOR THE
PRIVATE SECTOR AND BECAME
PRESIDENT AND CEO AT SINAI
HOSPITAL.
>> IT’S NOT ENOUGH TO BE THE
FIRST BLACK JUSTICE.
WHAT’S IMPORTANT IS THE QUALITY
OF THE WORK WHEN YOU’RE THERE.
>> Rhonda: AND WHAT’S IMPORTANT
IS BEING A PUBLIC SERVANT,
SOMETHING HE HAS DONE HIS ENTIRE
LIFE.
SO THE DEPUTY MAYOR IS STILL
WORKING ALONGSIDE HIS FRIEND OF
40 YEARS, MAYOR MIKE DUGGAN.
HE HAS A HUGE SET OF