Robert Holmes Bell

Robert Holmes Bell (April 19, 1944 – June 8, 2023) was an American lawyer and United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan from 1987 to 2017. Before assuming the role, he worked as an attorney and judge in Michigan. Bell became a senior judge in 2017, a role which he served until his death in 2023. His son is Rob Bell, the founder of the Mars Hill Bible Church.

Education and career Bell received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wheaton College in 1966. At Wheaton, Bell lettered in track each year. Bell received his Juris Doctor from Wayne State University Law School in 1969.

Chief Justice John Roberts appointed Bell to serve as chairman of the criminal law committee of the Judicial Conference of the United States. In that post, Bell wrote a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2013 opposing mandatory minimum sentences, saying they produce "unjust results" and waste public funds.

One notable case during Bell's federal judicial service was the 2002 trial of Marvin Gabrion, where Bell ordered a death sentence for Gabrion after the U.S. Justice Department told prosecutors to ask jurors for the death sentence, to which the jurors agreed. Gabrion remains on death row as of 2023.

Personal life Born in Lansing, Michigan, on April 19, 1944, to Preston and Eileen (née Holmes), Bell was raised in nearby Williamston and graduated from Okemos High School in 1962. His father died of war-related illness, lymphoma, when he was eight years old.