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Court rejects bid for new trial in hunters’ deaths in 1990

Posted at 2:27 PM, Sep 13, 2017
and last updated 2017-09-13 14:27:17-04

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (AP) — The Michigan Supreme Court won’t reopen the case of a man who was convicted of killing two hunters near Kalamazoo nearly 30 years ago.

The court turned down an appeal from Jeff Titus and the Innocence Clinic at University of Michigan law school.

Titus wants a new trial. Doug Estes and Jim Bennett were fatally shot near Titus’ property in Kalamazoo County back in 1990.

Two detectives who were part of the initial investigation don’t believe Titus shot the hunters, but they weren’t called as defense witnesses at trial.

Prosecutors acknowledge that Titus was hunting in another county on the day of the shootings. But they believe he drove home and killed the men. Innocence Clinic director David Moran says he’ll next go to federal court.