Ex-Officers Get $6.5M in Detroit Whistleblower Suit
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
DETROIT — Two former police officers were awarded $6.5 million yesterday in a whistleblower lawsuit that alleged extramarital affairs by the mayor and other misdeeds by his security unit.
The Wayne County Circuit Court jury agreed that Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and the city unlawfully dismissed the officers and violated the state’s Whistleblower Protection Act.
Mr. Kilpatrick, 36, denied the allegations against him said the city would appeal the verdict.
“I’m absolutely blown away at this decision. I know Detroiters are, too,” he said, adding it wouldn’t affect his mayoral duties. “I’ll be here tomorrow at work carrying my laptop, ready to do my job as mayor.”
It was unclear how the verdict would affect Mr. Kilpatrick’s political career. He had to fight for re-election in 2005 following a campaign dogged by questions about his spending, including the use of city credit cards for expensive out-of-town travel and the city lease of a luxury sport utility vehicle for his family.
Michael Stefani, the plaintiff’s attorney, said the jury sent the right message.
“The jury did what I asked — they put the blame on the mayor,” he said.
Gary Brown claimed he was fired in 2003 because he was looking into allegations of drunken-driving accidents, falsified overtime records, and a possible cover-up of incidents involving members of the security unit. He said he also was investigating claims from two former mayoral bodyguards that the mayor used his bodyguards to facilitate and cover up extramarital affairs.
Harold Nelthrope said he sued after Mr. Kilpatrick’s administration released a confidential police memo naming him as a source of allegations of misconduct by other bodyguards.
Mr. Nelthrope said he was transferred out of the security detail and ultimately couldn’t return to work out of fear for the safety of him and his family.
He described escorting the mayor to trysts with Christine Beatty, Mr. Kilpatrick’s chief of staff, and other women. Mr. Kilpatrick, a married father of three, and Ms. Beatty denied the allegations in court.
