Police charge brother of former regent

DETROIT (AP) - Police have obtained an arrest warrant for the brother of a former University regent and local casino investor, accusing him and another man in the 1998 shooting death of a man.

A warrant issued Friday for Harold Varner, Nellie Varner's 40-year-old brother, charges him with first-degree murder and a felony firearm count in Alvin Knight's death, police Sgt. Jo Ann Kinney said yesterday. Authorities expect Harold Varner to surrender, Kinney said.

On Monday, Maurice Adams of Detroit was arraigned on identical charges and was ordered held without bond.

The warrants came after a witness "gave us information" in Knight's death, Kinney said.

Wayne County prosecutors did not immediately return telephone messages yesterday.

Authorities have believed Knight's death was part of a custody dispute over Knight's son.

In 1995, authorities said, Knight was wounded by a masked gunman inside Nellie Varner's garage when he went to pick up his son at the Detroit home. Knight survived but was fatally shot in 1998, a day after he won a court ruling ordering Janniss Varner - Nellie Varner's adopted daughter - to return custody of his son to him.

Late last year, Janniss Varner was convicted in the 1995 ambush wounding of Knight and was sentenced to 13 to 20 years behind bars. The supposed gunman in that case, Richard Toby Oliver, is serving a 15-year prison term.

Prosecutors have said Janniss Varner's journals show she wanted to gain custody of Knight's son by another woman.