Lawyer presses for Kilpatrick’s records in stripper lawsuit: Stripper-suit attorney wants judge to order Kilpatrick to respond
Detroit — A lawyer wants a judge to order former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick to produce records sought in connection with a lawsuit brought by the family of slain exotic dancer Tamara “Strawberry” Greene.
Norman Yatooma, the lawyer for Greene’s family, said in a court filing he is still waiting for Kilpatrick to produce e-mails, correspondence and other records requested from him Nov. 18. Under federal court rules, Kilpatrick was supposed to respond by Dec. 16, Yatooma said in documents filed in U.S. District Court in Detroit late Wednesday.
“This court should enter an order compelling defendant Kilpatrick to respond … and granting plaintiffs their reasonable costs and attorney fees in bringing this motion,” Yatooma said in the court filing.
Greene, who was shot to death in Detroit on April 30, 2003, was linked to a rumored stripper party at the mayor’s Manoogian Mansion in the fall of 2002.
Greene’s family is suing the city, Kilpatrick and top city and police officials, alleging they obstructed the investigation into her still unsolved killing for political reasons.
Kilpatrick and the other defendants deny the allegations.
James C. Thomas, Kilpatrick’s Detroit attorney, said Thursday he is surprised that Yatooma filed the motion because Kilpatrick and other defendants “have granted extensions of time very liberally to Mr. Yatooma.”
“I don’t need an order from the judge to respond,” Thomas said.
“We have been in discussions with his office. We have agreed to provide (the responses) to the Yatooma firm. They have not yet been provided but will be in due course.”
The records request seeks e-mails, correspondence, 911 tapes, police personnel files, city communication contracts, Detroit Fire Department run records and other documents.
It was sent not just to Kilpatrick, but to the city; Kilpatrick’s former chief of staff, Christine Beatty; and all other defendants in the case.
The city of Detroit submitted its responses late Dec. 18, “evasive and incomplete as they are,” Yatooma said in the court filing.
Beatty filed her responses Dec. 21, he said.
