Two men get life in prison in witness shooting

ANN ARBOR (AP) - Two men have received life prison sentences in the killing of a 28-year-old man scheduled to testify in a Detroit freeway shooting case. The Ann Arbor News reports 32-year-old Willie Wimberly was sentenced Wednesday in Washtenaw County to life without parole for first-degree murder and life in prison for conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. He was convicted in the January 2013 killing of Brandon Charles of Ypsilanti Township. His cousin, 25-year-old Lawrence Mathews, received a life sentence for conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. Both men received shorter sentences for gun-related crimes. Wimberly also received 10 to 22 ½ years for witness intimidation. Charles was one of two people wounded following a traffic confrontation. He was scheduled to take the stand in the preliminary examination of Wimberly and another man charged in the shooting. Published: Fri, Dec 12, 2014