Wednesday, January 27, 1999
Killer's friends get year
Charges reduced so they'd testify
BY DAN HORN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Less than an hour after Michael Nieman was shot to death in bed, Kevin Green and his relatives showed up to comfort the woman who killed him.
While they were at it, prosecutors say, they opened Mr. Nieman's safe and walked out with $350,000 in cash and jewelry.
A judge Tuesday sentenced Mr. Green, his brother and his father to one year in jail each for their roles in the June robbery.
The sentences came six months after all three men agreed to testify against Melissa Vanover in exchange for reduced charges.
Miss Vanover was convicted of aggravated murder last week and will be sentenced to at least 23 years in prison on Monday.
At Mr. Green's sentencing in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court, prosecutors told Judge Arthur Ney that all three men honored their commitment to testify at Miss Vanover's trial.
“Their testimony was key in the state's case,” said Mr. Green's attorney, Tim Cutcher.
Before the sentencing, Mr. Nieman's daughter, Nikki, told the judge she believes the men may know more about the murder than they told police.
“You could have stopped it,” she said, crying. “I hope you get what you deserve. You caused a lot of hurt for all our family.”
Mr. Cutcher asked the judge to consider releasing Mr. Green's father, John E. Green, 41, because he did not know about the shooting until he arrived at Mr. Nieman's house in Miami Township.
The judge refused, however, and ordered him to finish his one-year sentence. He has been in jail since June and already has served 224 days.
Kevin Green and his 23-year-old brother, Johnny, also have been in jail since June and received the same sentences.
Mr. Cutcher said Kevin Green, 18, also should be considered for an early release because he went to the scene in response to a desperate call from Miss Vanover.
He said Miss Vanover, 26, called him after the shooting and threatened to commit suicide. Mr. Cutcher said his client was concerned about Miss Vanover because he knew that the 48-year-old Mr. Nieman, who dated Miss Vanover, was “a known drug dealer.”
The Greens and Miss Vanover were arrested a day after the shooting when their car was stopped for speeding. Inside the car, police found a bag filled with cash and jewelry.
Miss Nieman said her father was an honest businessman who fell victim to a plot drawn up by Miss Vanover and the Greens.
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