Michigan appeals court allows hit man to testify

LANSING (AP) -- A convicted hit man will have the opportunity to testify and possibly clear a young man in a quadruple-killing at a Detroit drug house. That is the decision of the Michigan appeals court, which says in a ruling dated last Thursday and released last Friday that Vincent Smothers has the right to testify in the case of Davontae Sanford, who's in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder. Sanford was 14 years old in 2007 when four people were fatally shot. Sanford confessed and pleaded guilty, but his lawyer says he was trying to please police. Smothers later told police he was responsible for the Runyon Street homicides. Smothers is willing to testify. The three-judge appeals court panel says he can. Smothers is in prison for eight other murders. Published: Mon, Sep 30, 2013