New Trial Ordered for Police Officer

A federal judge ordered a new trial for former Detroit police officer Larry Nevers, ruling that he was denied a fair hearing for his role in the 1992 beating death of a black motorist. U.S. District Court Judge Lawrence Zatkoff, who ordered Nevers released from prison, said the defense’s request for a change of venue should have been granted because of “pervasive pretrial publicity.” Nevers was one of two white policemen convicted in August 1993 of second-degree murder for clubbing to death Malice Green following a traffic stop.