Alger County Prosecutor Robert Steinhoff is asking the courts to remove Judge Brian Rahilly from handling any criminal cases in Alger County. The request comes after private text messages surfaced showing Rahilly allegedly trying to pressure prosecutors into plea deals and expressing negative views about law enforcement and attorneys.
Court documents released by Alger County Prosecutor Robert Steinhoff: Robert T. Steinhoff Press Release | Writ of Superintending Control | Motion to Disqualify
The messages were uncovered during a separate investigation into Judge W. Clayton Graham, who serves Luce and Mackinac counties. Over two years of texts from Graham’s phone were made public in court filings, many involving conversations with Rahilly.
In one exchange from September 2022, Rahilly appeared to admit to scheduling a second felony trial just two weeks before a complex murder case to push a plea deal. When Judge Graham joked it might settle the case, Rahilly replied, “Oh it’s going to settle.” Steinhoff said this murder case was one of the most serious in decades and would take weeks to try. He called the scheduling “shocking” and “disturbing.”
Other texts show Rahilly criticizing police work and court cases. After a resisting arrest trial in 2023, he wrote, “They seem to waste a lot of time, money and effort on some questionable cases up that way.” In 2024, he wrote, “Attorneys and cops are wasting my time.”
Rahilly also expressed strong dislike for lawyers. In June 2024, he texted, “I f****** hate attorneys.” When asked if he meant local ones, he replied, “Yes. And all of them.”
Steinhoff said the messages show Rahilly has lost the trust needed to oversee criminal cases fairly. “I felt I had no other choice,” he said.
Court dockets in both Alger and Mackinac counties were canceled this week. A hearing has not yet been scheduled to decide if Rahilly will be removed from criminal cases.
