Cox to testify Dec. 11 on Manoogian party rumors. Coverup alleged in probe of unsolved slaying of exotic dancer Tamara Greene
Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox will tentatively give a deposition on Dec. 11 in connection with the investigation into the Manoogian Mansion party rumors.
That deposition will be sealed along with all other depositions in the federal lawsuit brought against the city by family members of slain stripper Tamara Greene, a judge ruled today. The lawsuit alleges that city officials conspired to thwart the investigation into Greene’s April 30, 2003, unsolved slaying.
Lawyers for Cox’s office told U.S. District Chief Judge Gerald Rosen during a hearing today that they want the attorney general’s deposition to remain unsealed.
Rosen said he would allow the lawyers, Margaret Nelson and Frank Monticello, to again ask for the unsealing after Cox’s deposition is taken.
Cox’s spokesman, John Sellek, said of the upcoming deposition that Cox “wants it in the open so that all the questions can be answered.”
Michigan State Police Detective Sgt. Mark Krebs testified in a deposition last month that the state investigation of the rumored Manoogian Mansion party struggled against stonewalling by Detroit police, pressure from Cox’s office and reluctant witnesses. The out-of-court testimony was taken in connection with the lawsuit brought by Greene’s family.
Greene was rumored to have danced at the never-proven party in fall 2002 and been beaten up by then Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick’s wife, Carlita.
Krebs testified in an Oct. 20 deposition obtained by the Free Press that Cox rushed to wrap up the probe. “The investigation was shut down much too early, ” the detective said under oath in the lawsuit filed by Greene’s family.
Krebs said Cox interviewed Kilpatrick at the close of the investigation and state police were not allowed inside.
Cox has consistently denied any wrongdoing and said the investigation into the party included interviews with 130 witnesses that yielded no evidence.
Detroit Police Chief Warren Evans recently assigned the investigation of Greene’s murder to a local, state and federal violent crimes task force.
Rosen today said he is concerned that the unsealing of any more depositions could compromise the ongoing investigation into Greene’s killing.
“This is a major concern of the court,” Rosen said.
Also today, the judge allowed city lawyers to explain to him in private why they are objecting to allowing attorney Norman Yatooma, who represents Greene’s family, to have access to 35 of 36 text messages sent from city pagers. A pair of magistrates recently ruled that after reviewing more than 600,00 text messages, the 36 are relevant to the case.
“If you have nothing to hide, you hide nothing,” Yatooma said after today’s hearing.
Additionally, the judge ruled that Yatooma, who represents Greene’s family, will be permitted to have six Detroit police officers and two retired officers review the police homicide file in the court’s chambers. Rosen said the officers can examine the completeness and authenticity of the file and whether it was properly maintained.
Read a previous http://www.freep.com/article/20091108/NEWS01/911080467/Did-Manoogian-Mansion-tapes-vanish ”>report on the investigation.
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