Whistleblower EMT’s Hearing Ends Abruptly
(WXYZ) A Detroit Emergency Medical Technician’s union grievance hearing abruptly ended this morning because his attorney refused to stop tape recording the proceeding.
The hearing was to address the firing of Detroit EMT Doug Bayer, who is suing the City of Detroit, Fire Department Commissioner Tyrone Scott, and other supervisors. Bayer accuses the department of terminating him because he spoke to the media and the Michigan State Police about what he says he knows about the alleged Manoogian Mansion party.
Birmingham attorney Norman Yatooma was at the hearing with Bayer, who he represents in his lawsuit against the city. Deputy Fire Commissioner Seth Doyle, who Bayer is also suing, presided over today’s proceedings. The administrative hearing is a result of union grievances filed over Bayer’s firing.
Doyle ordered Yatooma to stop tape recording the proceeding or he would be thrown out. Yatooma left with his client because he did not want Bayer to remain at the hearing unrepresented.
Several media outlets attempted to cover the hearing, but were denied access. Action News contacted city of Detroit spokesperson Denise Tolliver asking why the press could not attend the hearing. Tolliver said they were not allowed to cover it and hung up.
Bayer’s supervisors allege they fired him for stealing heart monitor cables, according to his lawsuit. Bayer says the medical equipment belonged to Detroit Receiving Hospital and he was returning it.
Bayer’s former EMT partner Fawn Colombatto told Action News she was suspended August 7, without pay, for allegedly being a co-conspirator in the medical equipment theft.
“This is completely unsubstantiated,” says Wisam Zeineh president of the Detroit Emergency Medical Services IUOE Local 547-E, which represents Bayer and Colombatto. Zeineh was at the hearing to represent Bayer on behalf of the union.
Zeineh says the department is retaliating against Colombatto because she is a witness in Bayer’s lawsuit.
“She was blindsided,” says Zeineh. “They have continued to do what I believe to be harassing and discriminatory behavior, retaliatory behavior. The administration is appointed by the mayor and they are very arrogant. They do what they want and what they’re doing is illegal.”
Bayer, who was with the Detroit EMS since 1999, is suing under the Whistleblower’s Protection Act. Bayer’s lawsuit says that in the fall of 2002, he was delivering a patient to Detroit Receiving Hospital when he saw who he believed were members of Detroit Mayor Kilpatrick’s security detail delivering an injured dancer to the emergency room. His lawsuit also says the security detail had EMS personnel removed from the emergency room.
It has long been rumored that the mayor’s wife, Carlita Kilpatrick, assaulted stripper Tamara Greene at a party at the Manoogian Mansion. Greene has since been murdered. Her family is suing the city of Detroit for allegedly thwarting the investigation into her death. Attorney Norman Yatooma also represents Greene’s family.
