EVIDENCE PLANTED, SUIT ALLEGES

Drug Suspect Claims Detroit Police Tried Extortion

A Detroit man sued the Detroit Police Department in federal court Monday,
alleging that narcotics officers planted drugs on him and then attempted to
extort $15,000 from him in exchange for his freedom.

James Culp, 40, and his wife, Rosetta Williams, also of Detroit, said their
civil rights were violated during two separate raids at two east side homes
owned by the couple.

Their attorney, John Carlisle of Grosse Pointe Farms, said the couple and
their five children are now in hiding.

In the complaint filed in U.S. District Court, Carlisle alleges the Police
Department is an enterprise involved in extortion and drug trafficking
under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.

John Quinn of the city's legal department said he had not seen the suit,
but added it took Culp a long time to come forward. Quinn said he wondered
if the lawsuit was an attempt to draw attention away from Culp's pending
drug trial. If the allegations were true, Quinn said, they would be a
serious violation of department policy. "We don't sell dope," Quinn said.

The lawsuit stems from a Sept. 27, 2000, arrest. James Culp claims he was
taken from a home on Woodhall to police headquarters downtown, where
officers allegedly planted drugs on him. Culp alleges they told superiors
they found the drugs in his pocket.

Felony drug charges are pending against Culp in Wayne County Circuit Court.
He is scheduled to appear June 13. Culp has two prior misdemeanor
convictions for driving with a suspended license and marijuana possession.

According to court papers, Culp, a landscaper and dog breeder, was at a
rental house he owns on Woodhall on the east side when police, armed with a
search warrant, entered and searched the home. They arrested Culp after
reportedly finding seven bags of marijuana and a chunk of heroin.

In January, Culp said, he received a call from a Detroit police officer who
allegedly admitted that the drugs were planted. The officer told Culp the
only way he could avoid a long prison stay was to buy back the drugs from
the evidence room, according to the lawsuit. That way, when the trial
began, there would be no evidence to take to court, Carlisle said.

Culp said he agreed and met an officer at a Burger King on Neff and Warren.
He said he borrowed $5,000. Culp claims he then was given four evidence
envelopes and a crime lab envelope containing narcotics that had been
analyzed by a chemist. Culp said he was then told by the officer to destroy
everything, the lawsuit said.

The Police Department acknowledged in March that it could not account for
$12 million in cocaine seized in a 1993 drug bust. Carlisle implied that
the drugs used in his client's case may be involved.

Last month, Carlisle said, another officer called Culp and told him that
more evidence remained. The officer allegedly asked for another $10,000,
Carlisle said. Culp refused and told the officer he had never destroyed the
initial dope, according to the lawsuit.

Two days later, Culp's home on Balfour was raided. His wife and niece were
pistol-whipped and his children hid under blankets, Carlisle said. Two
plainclothes officers demanded the envelopes but left when they realized
the women did not know what they were talking about, the lawsuit says.

Culp said he tried to complain to the Police Department's internal affairs
division, but was ignored. Carlisle said Culp had no idea what to do, and
brought the drugs to his law office.

Inspector Donald Williams, head of internal affairs, said there is no
record of Culp turning to his office for intervention. Williams, who
verified the September 2000 raid on Wooodhall, said the department has no
record of any raid last month.

Investigators from internal affairs accompanied FBI officials to Carlisle's
office Monday to retrieve the drugs marked with police evidence labels,
Williams said. FBI Special Agent Terry Booth said he could not comment.