Detroit’s deadline in Greene suit Feb. 4

A federal magistrate judge has ordered lawyers for the City of Detroit to turn over several pieces of evidence by Feb. 4 in the lawsuit brought by the family of slain exotic dancer Tamara Greene, known as Strawberry.

Birmingham attorney Norman Yatooma, who represents Greene’s family, seeks 911 tapes, police personnel files, video surveillance tapes from the mayoral Manoogian Mansion, city communication records, Detroit Fire Department response records and e-mails.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Steven Whalen ordered Thursday that lawyers for the city turn over the following:

• Certain interoffice communications between former Police Chief Ella Bully-Cummings, Deputy Chief James Tolbert, Deputy Chief Shereece Fleming-Freeman and Christine Beatty, the former chief of staff to ex-Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick.

• Portions of Tolbert’s personnel file. It’s unclear why Yatooma wants Tolbert’s file.

• Police run sheets or other records related to the April 30, 2003, shooting death of Greene.

• Police overtime requests from Sept. 1 to Oct. 31, 2002.

• Fire department log books containing entries for every Friday, Saturday and Sunday between Sept. 1 and Nov. 30, 2002.

• The city’s contracts with wireless cellular or text messaging service providers.

Greene’s family alleges in a federal civil lawsuit that Detroit officials conspired to thwart the investigation into her killing. Greene was rumored to have danced at a never-proved party in fall 2002 at the Manoogian Mansion.

http://www.freep.com/article/20100129/NEWS02/1290373/1322/Detroits-deadline-in-Greene-suit-Feb.-4