Police Misconduct Michigan

Eleven Detroit-area police officers were arraigned Wednesday on charges of accepting money to guard several large shipments of cocaine and cash for undercover FBI agents who were posing as drug dealers. Six civilians also were arrested Tuesday in the sting operation, among them Detroit Mayor Coleman Young's niece, Cathy Volsan Curry, and her father, Willie Volsan. Federal agents said Young was not linked to the investigation.

A jury convicted a longtime sheriff Thursday of raping a woman at a law enforcement convention last October, rejecting his claim that the sex was consensual. Macomb County Sheriff William Hackel, 58, faces up to 15 years in prison on each of two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct. He will be held in the Isabella County Jail pending sentencing at an undetermined date.

Two former police officers were convicted of murder Monday in the fatal beating of a motorist outside a crack house here, bringing to a dramatic close a racially charged case reminiscent of the 1991 Rodney G. King beating by Los Angeles policemen. Larry Nevers, 52, and Walter Budzyn, 47, were convicted of second-degree murder in the death of Malice Green on Nov. 5 last year. They will be sentenced on Oct. 12 and face maximum sentences of life in prison.

A white former police officer, whose second-degree murder conviction had been thrown out, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter Tuesday in his retrial in the 1992 beating death of a black motorist. Former Detroit officer Larry Nevers admitted striking Malice Green after a traffic stop on Nov. 5, 1992, but claimed he acted in self-defense. He faces up to 15 years in prison on the conviction.

A Michigan judge on Wednesday ordered three former Detroit police officers to stand trial on criminal charges in connection with the beating death last month of a black man, but he dismissed a charge of involuntary manslaughter against a former sergeant who was the only black defendant in the case. The ruling by U.S. District Chief Judge Alex J. Allen Jr.

A white former police officer, whose second-degree murder conviction had been thrown out, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter Tuesday in his retrial in the 1992 beating death of a black motorist. Former Detroit officer Larry Nevers admitted striking Malice Green after a traffic stop on Nov. 5, 1992, but claimed he acted in self-defense. He faces up to 15 years in prison on the conviction.

A white former police officer whose murder conviction in the beating death of a black motorist was thrown out because the jury watched "Malcolm X" during its free time was found guilty of manslaughter Thursday at his retrial. Walter Budzyn, 52, declined to comment and showed the same steely expression he has kept throughout the monthlong trial in the death of Malice Green. Budzyn's lawyer promised an appeal even though prosecutors said he might be sentenced to time already served.

In a case that ominously resembled the 1991 attack on Rodney G. King, Detroit police said Friday that a 35-year-old black motorist was beaten to death by two white Detroit officers while five other officers looked on. Police Chief Stanley Knox angrily announced the suspension of all seven officers without pay and called the attack a "disgrace." He said arrest warrants were being sought against the officers. The dead man was identified as Malice Wayne Green of Detroit.

A jury convicted a longtime sheriff Thursday of raping a woman at a law enforcement convention last October, rejecting his claim that the sex was consensual. Macomb County Sheriff William Hackel, 58, faces up to 15 years in prison on each of two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct. He will be held in the Isabella County Jail pending sentencing at an undetermined date.

A white Detroit police officer, Walter Budzyn, convicted of beating a black man to death was granted a new trial in part because the jury watched the movie "Malcolm X" during a break in deliberations. Michigan's Supreme Court said the movie may have inflamed passions in the case of Malice Green, who was beaten by officers outside a suspected crack house after he refused to show them what he had in his hand.

A white former police officer whose murder conviction in the beating death of a black motorist was thrown out because the jury watched "Malcolm X" during its free time was found guilty of manslaughter Thursday at his retrial. Walter Budzyn, 52, declined to comment and showed the same steely expression he has kept throughout the monthlong trial in the death of Malice Green. Budzyn's lawyer promised an appeal even though prosecutors said he might be sentenced to time already served.

A white Detroit police officer, Walter Budzyn, convicted of beating a black man to death was granted a new trial in part because the jury watched the movie "Malcolm X" during a break in deliberations. Michigan's Supreme Court said the movie may have inflamed passions in the case of Malice Green, who was beaten by officers outside a suspected crack house after he refused to show them what he had in his hand.

Two former police officers were convicted of murder Monday in the fatal beating of a motorist outside a crack house here, bringing to a dramatic close a racially charged case reminiscent of the 1991 Rodney G. King beating by Los Angeles policemen. Larry Nevers, 52, and Walter Budzyn, 47, were convicted of second-degree murder in the death of Malice Green on Nov. 5 last year. They will be sentenced on Oct. 12 and face maximum sentences of life in prison.

A Michigan judge on Wednesday ordered three former Detroit police officers to stand trial on criminal charges in connection with the beating death last month of a black man, but he dismissed a charge of involuntary manslaughter against a former sergeant who was the only black defendant in the case. The ruling by U.S. District Chief Judge Alex J. Allen Jr.

In a case that ominously resembled the 1991 attack on Rodney G. King, Detroit police said Friday that a 35-year-old black motorist was beaten to death by two white Detroit officers while five other officers looked on. Police Chief Stanley Knox angrily announced the suspension of all seven officers without pay and called the attack a "disgrace." He said arrest warrants were being sought against the officers. The dead man was identified as Malice Wayne Green of Detroit.

Eleven Detroit-area police officers were arraigned Wednesday on charges of accepting money to guard several large shipments of cocaine and cash for undercover FBI agents who were posing as drug dealers. Six civilians also were arrested Tuesday in the sting operation, among them Detroit Mayor Coleman Young's niece, Cathy Volsan Curry, and her father, Willie Volsan. Federal agents said Young was not linked to the investigation.