TWO MET AS JUDGE AND A CONVICTED
DRUG DEALER, AND THEIR
CONNECTION GREW INTO SOMETHING
MUCH, MUCH MORE.
EDWARD MARTEL BETWEEN EDWARD
MARCHMAR MARTEL ESQUIRE RECENTLY.
MARTEL ESQUIRE RECENTLY.
SWORN INTO THE MICHIGAN BAR BY M
>> -- ADMITTED INTO PRACTICE AS
COUNSELOR AND POERNATTORNEY AT L
>> 16 YEARS AGO -- WHAT WAS ON
THAT RAP SHEET OF YOURS?
>> POSSESSION OF COCAINE TO
DELIVERY OF CRACK COCAINE AND A
PLETHORA OF OTHER VIOLATIONS.
>> Reporter: ED MARTEL GREW UP
IN THE DETROIT AREA, SON OF A
SINGLE MOTHER.
AS A TEENAGER, HE LOST HIS WAY.
>> BY 15 I WAS SELLING DRUGS.
BY 16, 17, I WAS SELLING HARDER
DRUGS, AND DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL
AND LEFT THE HOME.
>> Reporter: AT 27 YEARS OLD HE
WAS CAUGHT IN A DRUG STING.
>> WHAT WAS THE POTENTIAL
SENTENCE THERE?
>> SO I WAS FACING 1 TO 20-YEAR
SENTENCE FOR ACTUALLY TWO
COUNTS.
>> WOULD LIFE HAVE BEEN
DIFFERENT --
>> Reporter: THE JUDGE THAT
SENTENCED HIM, JUDGE MORROW.
>> JUDGE MORROW, WHAT KIND OF
JUDGE ARE YOU?
>> A HIPPIE, 1960s,
HARD-WORKING, BELIEVE IN THE
BEST OF PEOPLE, LOVIN’ ON
EVERYBODY I CAN TYPE OF JUDGE.
>> Reporter: JUDGE MORROW’S
UNCONVENTIONAL STYLE A SOURCE OF
CONTROVERSY, AS HE CURRENTLY
STANDS ACCUSED OF USING GRAPHIC
AND INAPPROPRIATE LANGUAGE IN
THE COURT, BUT WHEN IT CAME TO
MARTEL, INSTEAD OF SENTENCING
HIM TO PRISON TIME THE JUDGE PUT
HIM ON PROBATION AND ISSUED A
CHALLENGE.
>> HE SAID, MR. MARTEL, I
CHALLENGE YOU.
BE A CEO OF A FORTUNE 500
COMPANY.
YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE OUT HERE
SELLING DRUGS AND I BELIEVE YOU
HAVE GREATNESS IN YOU AND I
ACCEPTED THAT CHALLENGE.
>> Reporter: YOU SAW SOMETHING
IN HIM?
>> I SAW A YOUNG MAN WHO WAS
BRIGHT, INTELLIGENT, RESILIENT,
OPTIMISTIC, AND LOST.
YOU KNOW?
IT WAS PRETTY SIMPLE.
AND, YOU KNOW, I SEE MY JOB AS
TRYING TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES
FOR PEOPLE THAT COME IN FRONT OF
ME TO REINTEGRATE THEM BACK INTO
SOCIETY AND MAKE THEM, ASSIST
THEM, IN TRYING TO BE EVERYTHING
THAT THEY WANT TO BE.
>> Reporter: AND WHAT DID
MARTEL, A CONVICTED FELON WANT
TO BE?
A LAWYER.
THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE WHERE HE
ENROLLED SUGGESTED SOMETHING
ELSE.
HEATING AND COOLING.
>> THEY’RE TRAINED TO, IF YOU
HAVE A CRIMINAL RECORD, TO GO TO
HEATING AND COOLING.
WENT BACK AND FORTH AND
EVENTUALLY AGREED TO LET ME TAKE
THE PREREQUISITES FOR THE LAW PROGRAM.
>> GRADUATE EDD AND DETROIT MERC
SCHOOL.
>> YOU’RE STAYING IN TOUCH.
WHO?
>> THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE PROCESS,
JUDGE MORROW HAS BEEN THERE.
AFTER I GOT OUT OF PROBATION I
WOULD COME AND HANG OUT IN THIS
COURTROOM.
WHEN I WALKED IN, HE WOULD
SMILE.
WE DEVELOP ADD FATHER/SON
RELATIONSHIP.
I NERVE HER A FATHER GROWING UP
IN THE HOME BUT I IMAGINE IF I
DID, THAT THAT’S WHAT HE WOULD
BE LIKE.
>> Reporter: SO AFTER MARTEL
PASSED THE MICHIGAN BAR EXAM AND
CONVINCED THE CHARACTER AND
FITNESS BOARD HIS DAYS AS A
CRIMINAL WILL LONG GONE, IT ONLY
MADE SENSE THAT THE JUDGE WHO
SAW HIS POTENTIAL AND NOT HIS
PAST WOULD SWEAR HIM IN.
>> EDWARD FRANCIS MARTEL, AS A
LAWYER IN THE STATE --
>> WHAT DID THAT MOMENT MEAN TO
YOU?
WHAT DID IT FEEL LIKE?
>> IT WAS FULL CIRCLE.
JUST TO REACH THE FINISH LINE
AND HAVE HIM THERE TO MEET ME
AND CONGRATULATE ME AND HUG ME
AND SWEAR ME IN.
IT’S SURREAL.
>> Reporter: JUDGE, WHAT WAS
THAT MOMENT LIKE FOR YOU?
>> I WAS FILLED WITH JOY FOR ED,
BECAUSE HE DID THE HARD WORK.
ALL I HAD TO DO WAS SUPPORT HIM
AND LOVE HIM AS MUCH AS I COULD,
GIVE HIM ADVICE WHEN HE NEEDED
IT AND JUST, ALWAYS JUST TELL
HIM I’M THERE AND MEAN IT, AND
BE THERE.
>> WOW!
>> NICE.
>> AH.
>> JUDGE GAVE HIM A SECOND
CHANCE.
TO MARK THE OCCASION, MARTEL GOT
AN AUTOGRAPHED BRIEFCASE FROM
PERKINS’ LAW FIRM FOCUSING ON
CRIMINAL LAW.
NOT SURPRISING.