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Man convicted of murder could go free

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

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Terry Camp
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ARENAC COUNTY (WJRT) -- (07/29/09)--He shot and killed a man nearly 14 years ago while his victim slept in a bed.

But now he could be released from prison any day. It has the victim's family and Arenac County law enforcement officials worried.

Good behavior time is getting Gregory Miller past his minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, and while the Department of Corrections defends the possible release, not everyone agrees.

"He shot a gentleman who was lying in bed. I think it was 2 a.m.," said Arenac County Sheriff Jim Mosciski.

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Mosciski was sheriff in November 1995 when Miller walked up to the Twining-area home and killed 32-year-old Nelson Craig while he slept.

The two were friends but had a falling out.

Originally charged with first-degree murder, he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and has been in prison since 1996.

When a friend of the victim's family told Mosciski that Miller was going to be released on parole, Mosciski said he couldn't believe it.

"I didn't believe it," he said. "I said, 'You've got to be kidding me.'"

But Arenac County Prosecutor Curt Broughton has the paperwork showing that Miller, who with the combination of time served and good behavior, is meeting his minimum sentence of 15 years and was scheduled to be released on parole Tuesday.

"This one out of the ones I've seen recently -- and actually the ones I have seen since I've been prosecutor -- is by far and away the worst I've seen," he said.

The Michigan Department of Corrections defends the releasing of prisoners by the state's parole board when those prisoners have served their minimum time behind bars.

Mosciski says he believes the state is just trying to save money by releasing inmates like Miller.

"When you are starting to tell me that money means more than people's live, no, I don't like it," he said.

The DOC says Miller has not been released yet.