From the Prosecutor’s Office to National Television: Nancy Westveld '88
September 20 , 2006

While many UDM law alumni become prominent members of the community, few find themselves portrayed by Kelly McGillis on national television.  Nancy Westveld ’88, found herself in exactly that situation this spring.

In March 2006, the Lifetime Television network released Black Widower, a made-for-television movie about one of the more famous (or infamous) cases that Ms. Westveld prosecuted during her almost 20-year tenure in the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office.

Black Widower revolved around the crime and prosecution of a Detroit executive, Lowell Amos, who was convicted of murdering his wife with a lethal dose of cocaine during sex at a Detroit hotel in 1994.

Because she was a nurse before becoming an attorney, Westveld specialized in the medical aspects of murder cases.  Westveld was intimately involved in the subsequent investigation, which uncovered evidence that Amos had murdered two previous wives and his mother, and had collected substantial sums of insurance money.

During a lengthy trial—one that many observers thought would lead to an acquittal, or, at best, a conviction of involuntary manslaughter—Westveld succeeded in convicting Amos of first-degree murder, and Amos was subsequently sentenced to life in prison without parole.

“Amos was in many ways a dream to prosecute, because he really thought that he could outsmart anyone,” said Westveld.  “Although much of the evidence we could piece together was circumstantial, we were able to convict him in part because of his arrogance.” 

The case was hotly contested, and featured two trips to the Court of Appeals, as well as one trip to the Michigan Supreme Court.  As Westveld put it, “This wasn’t the sort of case that you saw every day in my job.  In fact, this was one of those once-in-a-career cases in which you sometimes find yourself involved.”

Following a short stint in private practice after leaving the prosecutor’s office, Westveld currently works for the Attorney Grievance Commission. 

At UDM School of Law in September for Lunch with a Lawyer, Ms. Westveld counseled the students that attorneys must be very familiar with the rules of evidence and the rules of professional conduct.

According to Westveld, “Paying close attention in those two classes will help you a great deal if you want to go into prosecution.”