Man convicted in half brother's death will get new trial

PAW PAW (AP) — The Michigan Supreme Court won’t overturn a decision that grants a new trial to a man convicted in the death of his half brother in southwestern Michigan.

The court recently declined to take an appeal from prosecutors in the case of Antonio Lewis. He was convicted of second-degree murder in the death of Ivory Shaver, whose body was found in a rural ditch in Van Buren County in 2012.

The appeals court overturned the conviction, saying Lewis’ rights were violated when he wasn’t allowed to represent himself after the trial started.

Lewis is serving a minimum prison sentence of 39 years. Investigators believe Shaver was killed because he cooperated in a child welfare investigation against his half brother.

The appeals court described the evidence as “entirely circumstantial” but “powerful.”