The Coverup
Nancy Nevers
To all the cops out there, I am showing you copies of the two sheets I received from a
friend last year.
Keep in mind that Commander Donaldson and Commander Henry are black Detroit Police
officers of rank who felt that the Department did not follow their own rules, regulations,
and guidelines in the Malice Green case. Once McKinnon found out that Commander Henry went
public and told the media about the department’s flagrant violation against Larry and
Walter (denying them due process), McKinnon ordered Henry demoted and/or gave him the
option of retiring. That is why Commander Henry filed civil charges against McKinnon and
the department for wrongful discharge.
Also keep in mind that the Green case did not happen on McKinnon’s watch, therefore,
what is all of this about? Why did McKinnon lie on his deposition and why did he lie
on the witness stand, to what end?
Commander Henry won his law suit against the city and the department, and was paid several
million dollars. That is all part of the record. What is not part of the record is the
following:
The sheets I am showing you start with dates from January 1994 forward. Larry Nevers and
Walter Budzyn went to prison October 12, 1993. The depositions referred to are depositions
taken in preparation of Robert Lessnau’s civil case against the department and the
City of Detroit.
The document photos have been transcribed below for easier reading:
THE CONSPIRACY
January, 1994 Chief Isaiah McKinnon is told by Detroit Police Department Internal Affairs Commander Donaldson that the Detroit Police Department's rules and regulations were violated and had not been followed in the Malice Green case.
March 7, 1994 Commander Charles Henry tells McKinnon that the Board of Review did not do an investigation in the Malice Green case. Henry also informed the Chief that the actions taken against the officers were without the authority of the Board of Review.
April, 1994 Henry tells City Attorney David Masson that the Detroit Police Department did not follow its own procedures. Henry also said the actions taken against the officers were without the authority of the Board of Review.
May 11 & 25, 1994 Henry is scheduled for depositions in the Lessnau case. these depositions were cancelled.
June 16, 1994 Commander Henry testifies under oath in a court deposition against the Detroit Police Department. He swears that the Detroit Police Department violated its own rules when they took actions against the officers in the Malice Green case without the authority of the Board of Review.
July, 1994 City Attorney David Masson meets with Donaldson and tells him Henry gave damaging testimony against the Detroit Police Department in the Lessnau case.
July 21, 1994 Donaldson and two more members of the Board of Review are scheduled for depositions in the Lessnau case.
July 21, 1994 While in the Chief's Office, Donaldson informs McKinnon that Henry's testimony against the Detroit Police Department was "damaging testimony." Donaldson informs McKinnon that his testimony, scheduled for that day, will also be damaging to the Detroit Police Department.
July 21, 1994 Chief McKinnon gets upset and calls City Attorney Supervisor Terri Renshaw asking that Donaldson's testimony be cancelled.
July 21, 1994 City Attorney Renshaw calls City Attorney Masson at deposition site, and tells him to cancel Commander Donaldson' deposition.
July 21, 1994 Masson cancels Commander Donaldson's deposition that same day.
August, 1994 McKinnon starts special surveillance of Henry based on an undocumented phone call from May 1994. Over the next 30 days, Henry's activities are under surveillanc on at least 8 separate occasions.
September 16, 1994 Bill Johnson of th Detroit News tells McKinnon that Henry's informaiton showed double standards in the Detroit Police Department.
September 29, 1994 McKinnon orders Henry demoted or to immediately retire from the Detroit Police Department.
THE COVERUP
July 21, 1994 Chief McKinnon discusses the damaging deposition testimony of Commander Henry in the Lessnau case with Commander Donaldson and City Attorney Renshaw, McKinnon is concerned.
August 30, 1994 Chief McKinnon discusses the damaging deposition testimony of Charles Henry in the Lessnau case with Attorney Masson, McKinnon is concerned.
October 2, 1995 Chief McKinnon swears under oath that he was not aware Henry testified in a court deposition in the Lessnau case.
December, 1995 McKinnon swears in an affidavit that he was not aware Henry testified in a court deposition in the Lessnau case.
December, 1995 Donaldson swears in an affidavit that he personally told Chief McKinnon about Henry's damaging deposition testimony in the Lessnau case.
March 14, 1996 McKinnon is shown Donaldson's affidavit and admits he was aware of Henry's damaging deposition testimony as early as July 21, 1994. Now, the Chief admits his previous sworn statements were not true.