A trial is scheduled to start today in Detroit Federal Court in a lawsuit filed by a man who served nine years in prison based on what proved to be false testimony from a police officer.
Davontae Sanford was 14 when he was convicted of the murder of four people in 2007.
He was released in June of 2016 after it was learned former Flint police chief and Detroit police deputy chief James Tolbert lied about evidence in the case.
State police wanted him charged with perjury but Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said her office decided not to charge Tolbert because the statute of limitations had run out.
Tolbert left his Flint position in June of 2016, but is now back in law enforcement.
He was hired in January as a deputy chief in Highland Park.
When asked about his previous testimony, he said he couldn’t comment because of the ongoing litigation.
After his release from prison, Sanford filed suit against Tolbert and the city of Detroit.