Man wrongly convicted loses federal appeal over 1970s case

DETROIT (AP) — A man cleared of a campus assault after 35 years in prison has failed to convince a federal appeals court to revive his lawsuit against retired Detroit police officers who investigated the case in the 1970s.

The court says Edward Carter hasn’t presented evidence that the officers withheld critical evidence that would have cleared him.

With the help of Cooley law school, Carter’s case was reopened in 2004.

Police used technology that wasn’t available in the ‘70s to learn that another man assaulted a pregnant woman in a Wayne State University restroom.

Carter was released from prison in 2010.

He subsequently filed a lawsuit, claiming police violated his rights at trial. But in a 3-0 decision Monday, the appeals court says Carter hasn’t met his burden.