Inmates in Michigan murder cases face new false testimony charges

DETROIT – Two Michigan inmates in jail for murder are facing new charges after allegedly conspiring to present false testimony related to a 2007 shooting.

According to authorities, Shannon Anderson allegedly recruited Vincent Smothers to provide false testimony regarding a 2007 shooting in which Anderson was convicted of murder. Smothers, who also faces a separate charge for possessing a cell phone in prison, reportedly agreed to sign a false affidavit in 2019, which Anderson’s attorney used in an unsuccessful bid for a new trial.

Smothers has been in prison since 2010 after pleading guilty to eight murders. He later admitted to four more murders, leading to the release of a teen who was wrongfully convicted.

A cell phone was reportedly found in Smothers’ possession, which led to a search of his prison cell, where written communications were discovered that led to the new charges.

Anderson had previously served time for sneaking cellphones to prisoners.