With every seat taken and people lining the walls, Circuit Judge Michael Servitto yesterday pumped the brakes on a key ruling in the criminal case tied to the 2024 Clinton Township warehouse explosion. Instead of deciding whether certain evidence will make it to trial, Servitto told defense counsel to file two New York court decisions into the record, then pushed the next hearing to March 30.
The building’s owner, Noor Kestou, is charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of 19-year-old Turner Lee Salter and remains free on a $500,000 bond. The short delay came as tensions flared again over what evidence jurors will ultimately get to hear in the high-profile case.
According to Macomb Daily, Servitto directed defense attorney James Thomas to submit the two New York rulings within a week, then adjourned the matter for about three weeks. The outlet reported that roughly 50 people crowded into the Mount Clemens courtroom to watch the proceedings. The judge set the case for another motion date on March 30.
Prosecutors say storage was reckless
Macomb County prosecutors say investigators uncovered thousands of nitrous-oxide and butane canisters stored inside the warehouse and argue that failing to separate and safely store oxidizers and flammables amounted to gross negligence, according to a press release from the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office. Prosecutors say one of those canisters exploded and struck Salter, which led to the involuntary manslaughter charge after a preliminary exam.
Defense presses for discovery and causation proof
Defense attorneys countered that the state has not turned over everything they need to challenge the prosecution’s theory and that causation is far from settled, according to reporting from The Detroit News. Lawyers told the court that subpoenas for cloud-based inventory data and camera footage have not been fully answered and asked for more follow-up before the case moves forward.
How the blast unfolded
The March 4, 2024 fire at the building that housed Goo Smoke Shop and Select Distributors set off a chain of explosions that sent metal canisters and debris flying across a wide area, killing Salter when a canister struck his head, according to AP News. Officials said some canisters and debris landed more than a mile away and that the warehouse held quantities of butane and nitrous oxide that were not permitted for storage.
Cleanup and investigation continue
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has been overseeing a months-long cleanup of the site, a job officials estimated at roughly 100 on-site working days to remove compressed-gas cylinders, batteries and other hazardous debris, per CBS Detroit. Local and federal investigators, including the ATF, continue to comb through wreckage as both sides prepare their pretrial filings.
What’s next
The case now points to a March 30 hearing in Mount Clemens, where Servitto is expected to revisit the pending motions after reviewing the New York rulings he requested, according to Macomb Daily. Attorneys on both sides signaled they are bracing for more discovery fights before a trial date is set.
Legal implications
Under Michigan law, manslaughter is a felony that can carry up to 15 years in prison, according to the Michigan Legislature, and the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office has labeled the charge against Kestou a serious felony. Courts have already imposed strict pretrial conditions and bond, and local reporting notes that Kestou’s release includes GPS monitoring, surrender of his passport and other restrictions while the case winds through the system.
