State ordered to turn over evidence in Friend trial

Man charged in ex-wife's murder appears in court

MIAMI – A man charged with murder after his ex-wife disappeared in 1994 appeared in court for a hearing Thursday.

The defense attorney for Clifford Friend, 56, claimed prosecutors held back key evidence they need to move forward in the case against Friend, who is accused of killing his ex-wife.

The attorney said prosecutors did not release police notes, which the judge ordered they should hand over to the defense.

The prosecutors admitted that it was true, that they held the rough notes for detectives to use in writing their report.

Friend's ex-wife, Lynn Friend, disappeared in August 1994. Prosecutors said witnesses reported seeing Clifford Friend and another person off Haulover Beach, dumping a large package from a boat.

Lynn Friend had just won a custody battle over the couple's son and planned to take him out of state. Records and witnesses said Clifford Friend had vowed to stop that from happening.

Despite several searches, including one using naval sonar, Lynn Friend's body was never found.

The judge called the state's actions in not turning over evidence a discovery violation and inappropriate.

Clifford Friend's trial has been pushed back to Oct. 29.