Larry Nevers / Walter Budzyn

Two former police officers were sentenced to lengthy prison terms for the murder of an unemployed steel worker outside a crack house here last year
Larry Nevers, 52, received 25 years in jail for his role in the fatal beating of 35 year old Malice Green
His partner, Walter Budzyn, 47, was given a prison term of 18 years
They were both whisked away to jail

Larry Nevers
Walter Budzyn
Larry Nevers
Walter Budzyn

"What you did was excessive in the extreme!" recorded court Judge George W. Crockett III told Larry Nevers in handing down his sentences
The case, which has parallels to the 1991 police beating of black motorist Rodney King in Los Angeles, split Detroit along racial lines
Many in the black community wanted the maximum sentence of life imprisonment for the two white officers whom they described as "out of control"
The two officers were convicted of second degree murder August 23 by separate juries at the end of their 11 week trial

Larry Nevers
Walter Budzyn
Larry Nevers
Walter Budzyn

Larry Nevers and Walter Budzyn were on a stakeout for an armed robbery suspect last November outside a west side crack house
They stopped to question Malice Green
Malice Green was asked for his driver's license
Suddenly, he was beaten upside his head with two flashlights
An autopsy determined that Malice Green died from 14 blows to his head

Larry Nevers
Walter Budzyn
Larry Nevers
Walter Budzyn