3 state cops seek to duck testifying in suit over slain Detroit dancer

Three Michigan State Police detectives, who once investigated rumors of the never-proven Manoogian Mansion party and assault of a stripper, today filed motions asking not to be required to testify in a federal lawsuit against the city of Detroit brought by the family of the late Tamara Greene.

Det. Lt. Curt Schram, Det. Sgt. John Figurski and Det. Sgt. Mark Krebs said they don’t want to answer any questions about the party because the case is still open, according to their motion in U.S. District Court in Detroit.

Tamara Greene, a stripper known as Strawberry, was shot in a drive-by killing on April 30, 2003, while parked in a Buick Skylark at West Outer Drive and Roselawn. Her slaying remains unsolved and Police Chief Warren Evans recently turned the investigation over to the multi-jurisdictional Violent Crimes Task Force.

According to one version of the Manoogian rumor, then-Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick’s wife, Carlita, assaulted Greene after arriving at the city-owned mayoral residence during sometime around Labor Day weekend in 2002.

According to today’s motion, the three detectives were served with subpoenas for testimony and the production of documents by Birmingham Attorney Norman Yatooma on Oct. 1 and Tuesday. Yatooma is representing family members of Greene in a lawsuit that claims city officials conspired to thwart any investigation into her death.

Assistant Attorney General Margaret Nelson said the detectives also work out of town in Grand Rapids, Adrian and Bad Axe and don’t have time and money to travel to Yatooma’s office to sit for depositions.

Attorney General Mike Cox declared the rumors of the party to be an “urban legend” in 2003, following a state police investigation