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Judge: King can testify virtually in lawsuit

ALPENA — Plaintiff Terry King won’t have to appear in person to give testimony about his lawsuit against his former boss, a judge decided Wednesday.

King, who resigned from the Alpena County Sheriff’s Office in June 2019, filed a whistleblower lawsuit against Sheriff Steven Kieliszewski shortly thereafter. King said he was forced out of his position in retaliation for reporting incidents that concerned him.

King left his position after being given the option of resigning or being fired after an internal investigation raised allegations of questionable behavior.

Kieliszewski’s attorney asked the court to require King to give his testimony in person, something King’s attorney said his client is unwilling to do.

Judge George Mertz, of Otsego County’s 46th Circuit Court, who is hearing the case because it involves two people with ties to Alpena County government, denied Olsen’s request.

Kieliszewski was deposed in early 2020, before the coronavirus caused courts.

King is challenging Kieliszewski for the sheriff’s post in the Republican primary on Tuesday.

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