Supreme Court rejects ex-York County man's appeal in adopted Russian son's death

Supreme Court rejects ex-York County man's appeal in adopted Russian son's death

By Matt Miller | mmiller@pennlive.com

on March 13, 2014 at 12:48 PM

The state Supreme Court has refused to hear a former York County man's appeal of his involuntary manslaughter, conspiracy and child endangerment convictions in the death of his adopted Russian son.

The state's highest court issued that decision Wednesday, effectively ending 49-year-old Michael J. Craver's legal effort to clear his name in the August 2009 death of his 7-year-old son Nathaniel.

Craver's wife, Nanette, 58, was convicted on identical charges by a York County jury during the couple's trial in 2011. The jury acquitted the former Carroll Township couple of murder charges.

Both Cravers, who now live in Carbon County, were sentenced to 16 months to 4 years in prison, plus 5 years of probation. A county judge ordered their release from prison when he sentenced them in November 2011 because they had already spent 19 months behind bars.

Michael Craver asked the Supreme Court to hear his case after the state Superior Court affirmed his convictions in late 2012.

Nanette Craver also appealed her convictions. The Supreme Court declined to hear her case last year.

Although the jury found them responsible for their adopted son's death, the Cravers that they were not to blame and that the boy had a history of injuring himself.

County prosecutors contended that Nathaniel, who died in Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center from a brain bleed, was abused and neglected.