Something Stinks!

An administrative hearing for a fired Detroit Fire Department employee Douglas Bayer, who recently sued the city alleging he was retaliated against for information he had about the rumored party at the Manoogian Mansion, was abruptly halted today after his lawyer refused to stop recording the proceeding.

Douglas was allegedly fired for taking heart monitoring cables equipment from an ambulance without authorization. He claims that he returned the cables to the hospital that owned them.

*Excerpts from various media sources*

-An appeal hearing for a fired Detroit Fire Department emergency medical technician was abruptly terminated Wednesday morning after city officials objected to attempts by the former EMT worker's lawyer to tape record the hearing.

-Yatooma said he was tape-recording the hearing because its administrator, Deputy Fire Commissioner Seth Doyle, continuously told a stenographer to go on and off the record when Yatooma addressed the three-member panel.

-Detroit Fire Commissioner Tyrone Scott refused the media access to the hearing saying their presence would be a “disturbance.” (THE FIRST REPORT WAS THAT THEY WERE TOLD THAT THE ROOM WAS FULL)

-Scott then rejected a plea from a lawyer for the Detroit Free Press to open the hearing to the media. Brian Wassom, a lawyer for the Free Press who showed up at fire headquarters, was also prohibited by Scott from making an argument on the record.

-Wassom argued that closing the hearing violated the state open meetings act.

A portion of the Fire Department’s General Rule regarding trial boards says: “Also remember your conduct and involvement is on public display; i.e., the newspaper reporters and authorized observers may be present.”

-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.

-Before the hearing ended, a union representative for Bayer said he stepped down from the three-member appeals panel "under duress" at the request of city officials.

Bayer chose Wisam Zeineh, the president of his union. But Wednesday morning, city officials said Zeineh should be removed from the panel because he could be a potential witness.

Zeineh said he stepped down under pressure after officials reminded him he is still a city employee.

Today, Bayer’s former partner Fawn Colombatto said she was suspended without pay three weeks ago for being a co-conspirator in taking the equipment.

Something stinks! The Fire Department seems to be making it easier for the city to make another cash pay-out.