DETROIT: Sanctions loom on evidence delays in suit

Chief U.S. District Judge Gerald Rosen ordered lawyers Tuesday to meet privately to try and resolve evidence issues in the lawsuit brought by the family of slain exotic dancer Tamara Greene, known as Strawberry.

Rosen said the parties must appear for a hearing before a magistrate judge Feb. 11 if the issue is not worked out by Feb. 8. Last week, he gave lawyers for the city a week to turn over the records in question to lawyers for Greene’s family.

“Any further failures to provide timely and appropriate responses to discovery requests will be met with escalating rounds of sanctions,” Rosen wrote in his order. He described the delays as a “disturbing trend.”

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, Fire Department response records and e-mail.

Greene’s family alleges in a civil suit that Detroit officials conspired to thwart the investigation into her unsolved drive-by slaying in April 2003. Greene was rumored to have danced at a never-proven party in 2002 at the Manoogian Mansion.