Matthew Magdowski Macomb County Jail Photo
Matthew Magdowski, 32, of Clinton Township, got a big break Thursday.
Macomb County Circuit Court Judge Diane Druzinski sentenced him to probation for manslaughter in the accidental shooting death of his close friend in a Fraser home, Jameson Cook of the Macomb Daily reported. Magdowski must still serve a mandatory two years in prison for possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
Cook writes:
Matthew Magdowski received the lenient punishment from Judge Diane Druzinski after a letter from the family of the victim, Joseph Saroli, 33, of Macomb Township, was read in the Macomb County Circuit courtroom and asked for no jail time. Druzinski cited the wishes of Saroli’s family.
“It was a very touching, moving letter,” said Magdowski’s attorney, Stephen Rabaut, after the hearing. “We know he didn’t mean to harm Joe. He didn’t mean to kill him. He’s been remorseful from the first day I met him.”
The paper goes on to report:
Magdowski shot Saroli in the pelvis about 6 p.m. Jan. 12, 2015 in the Fraser home of a friend of Saroli. Both Magdowski and Saroli were under the influence of alcohol, and loud music was playing when Saroli pulled the handgun from a kitchen drawer and was posing and playing with it. Magdowski got it and pulled the trigger. The homeowner, Brandon Dilucenter, who owned the weapon, testified he yelled that the gun was loaded.
