Law360 (August 20, 2026, 6:16 PM EDT) --

Mary Chrzanowski

Former Macomb County Circuit Court Judge Mary Chrzanowski will step into a new role as the chief of the Macomb County Prosecutor's Conviction Integrity Unit at the end of the month, the county prosecutor's office said Thursday.

Chrzanowski will begin Aug. 31 as a part-time special prosecutor leading the CIU as it reviews postconviction claims of innocence in order to ensure convictions are legally sound and factually accurate.

"Judge Chrzanowski's decades of judicial experience, sound judgment, and commitment to fairness make her exceptionally well suited to lead the Conviction Integrity Unit," Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido said in his Thursday announcement. "She is a welcome addition to help us protect the integrity of the justice system."

Lucido and Chrzanowski are familiar with one another; the pair faced off for the prosecutor's job in 2020. Lucido, a republican, bested the Democrat Chrzanowski.

Lucido established the CIU in 2022, putting veteran defense attorney Gail Pamukov in charge. Pamukov, who retired in May, oversaw the department's first exoneration in 2023. During Pamukov's tenure, the CIU garnered a $1.6 million federal grant provided by the Bureau of Justice Assistance under the U.S Department of Justice to expand postconviction DNA reviews.

"I am deeply honored that Prosecutor Lucido has entrusted me with this responsibility," Chrzanowski said in a Thursday statement. "The integrity of our criminal justice system depends on public confidence that every conviction is accurate, fair, and supported by the evidence.

"I look forward to building on the outstanding foundation established by Ms. Pamukov and working to ensure justice is faithfully served."

The CIU was part of a broad effort by Lucido to bolster public confidence in the criminal justice system.

"Mary Chrzanowski is exactly the right person to lead the Conviction Integrity Unit at this time," Pamukov said in her own Thursday statement. "She has earned the respect of lawyers, judges, law enforcement, and the community through decades of thoughtful, principled decision-making.

"I know she will lead this unit with integrity; I could not be happier to see the work continue in such capable hands."

Chrzanowski earned the nickname "Scary Mary" when she was on the Macomb County bench from 1993 to 2016 because of her direct, blunt demeanor and "tough love" approach. She was also known as "Show Stopper" by inmates at the Macomb County Jail due to her ability to cut through defendants' rhetoric.

After stepping down in 2016, Chrzanowski took a position as a federal administrative law judge.

She is known for her work with the Macomb County Drug Court, bringing personal insight as a recovering alcoholic to the task.

In 2014, Chrzanowski was featured on NBC's "Dateline" in a segment that focused on her work with the juvenile drug courts in Warren and Macomb counties.

Chrzanowski has a criminal justice degree from Wayne State University and a law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law.

--Editing by Alex Hubbard.

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