Larry Hunter Jr.’s bid for a new trial in Washtenaw County Circuit Court failed, and he's now serving a life sentence for murder.

Court records show Circuit Judge Archie Brown denied Hunter’s request for a new trial after hearing testimony from a potential alibi witness. Brown then sentenced Hunter to the mandatory life term for first-degree murder.

Larry Hunter Jr.

Hunter, 27, was convicted by a jury in June after two-day trial. Testimony showed he shot Jamar Gardner during a fight involving several people in the parking lot of the Sycamore Meadows apartments in Superior Township on Jan. 23. Gardner, 30, was trying to prevent Hunter from intervening in the fight, which involved his brother, witnesses said.

Derrick Campbell did not testify during the trial, but gave Brown a letter on the trial’s last day that said Hunter couldn't be the shooter. Defense attorney Bob Killewald vowed to appeal upon Hunter’s conviction and requested a rare evidentiary hearing to bring Campbell into court. 

Campbell testified for about an hour before Brown denied the request and sentenced Hunter, records showed.

Killewald did not return messages from AnnArbor.com.

Art Aisner is a freelance writer for AnnArbor.com. Reach the news desk at news@annarbor.com or 723-623-2530.