DETROIT – A prosecutor on Thursday spent more than an hour laying out a timeline and explaining pieces of evidence in the Devontae Sanford case that led to both his conviction and subsequent release from prison.
(View her full report below)
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Sanford was 14 in 2007 when four people, Brian Dixon, Michael Robinson, Nicole Chapman, and D’Angelo McNoriell were shot to death in the so-called “Runyon Street Killings.”
“Let’s never forget this case is about them, and the fact that they lost their lives,” Worthy said.
Case evidence involving Sanford
Worthy said a police dog picked up a scent from the homicides scene and tracked it to outside of Sanford’s home on Beland Street.
A pair of pants inside Sanford’s home matched the description given by a surviving witness. The pants tested positive for gunshot residue, Worthy said.
After Sanford approached police on the homicide scene, inquiring as to what they were investigating, police went to his mother, Tamiko Sanford, and hand-wrote a consent form. Devontae was then interviewed by police and released.
When he was returned to the police department, he was read his rights and indicated that he understood them.
Devontae Sanford gave a confession to police
Sketch of the crime scene
A key piece of evidence was a sketch Sanford drew of the homicide scene.
“Mr. Sanford being able to draw the sketch would demonstrate that all of the information came directly from his recollection or from his participation in the crime,” Worthy said.
The sketch is now under scrutiny after Worthy said a follow-up interview by state police with then former deputy Detroit police chief James Tolbert has led to questions about its credibility.
Worthy said Tolbert testified that Sanford created the drawing on a blank piece of paper. However, in a follow-up interview with state police, Worthy said Tolbert "responded to questions that undermined his prior testimony under oath that Mr. Sanford created the sketch from a blank piece of paper.”
Worthy said Tolbert is heard on tape during the state police interview, saying, "I drew the house."
Worthy says Sanford made own confession
Sanford pleaded guilty on the second day of his trial.
"He was convicted by his own words in a guilty plea,” Worthy said. "This wasn't a young man who made a decision to plead guilty in a vacuum.”
Sanford released Wednesday
Davontae Sanford walked out of prison in western Michigan with a brother and lawyer Valerie Newman. His brother carried his belongings in a plastic sack. His release came a day after Judge Brian Sullivan dismissed Sanford's four guilty pleas to second-degree murder at the request of prosecutors.
Devontae Sanford case from Wayne County Prosecutor's Office
