Expanded federal probe sought in shoplifting death case

Protesters rally Monday outside the federal courthouse in Detroit

Detroit protesters say incident has racial overtones

July 17, 2000
Web posted at: 4:51 p.m. EDT (2051 GMT)

DETROIT (CNN) -- About 1,500 demonstrators rallied Monday outside the federal courthouse in Detroit, calling for the Justice Department to expand its probe into the suffocation death of a black man subdued by department store security guards. The death, which occurred as guards investigated alleged shoplifting, prompted allegations of racial profiling.

The federal government last week launched a preliminary investigation to determine whether the civil rights of Frederick Finley were violated during a June 22 confrontation that led to him being placed in a choke hold outside the Lord & Taylor store at Fairlane Town Center in suburban Dearborn. He later died.

VIDEO CNN's Ed Garsten describes the incident and development since it happened QuickTime Play Real 28K 80K Windows Media 28K 80K     MESSAGE BOARD State of race relations

Finley, his common-law wife and two children with them were followed out of the store because they were black, protesters contend.

Witnesses say Finley, 32, scuffled with the security guards when they tried to handcuff an 11-year-old girl in the group. Finley regarded the girl as a stepdaughter.

Dearborn Police Chief Ron Deziel said last week that although store security camera tapes show the family stealing merchandise, no criminal charges will be brought against Finley's three companions because it would further inflame an already volatile situation.

Of the five security guards involved in the parking lot fracas, authorities have brought charges against one of them. Dennis Richardson, who also is black, faces a charge of involuntary manslaughter.

The Finley family has filed a $600 million lawsuit against Lord & Taylor. The family's attorney, Geoffrey Fieger, insists the Finleys were honest shoppers. "Blacks in Lord & Taylor and Fairlane historically are shoplifters until proven otherwise," he said.   68K/07 sec. AIFF or WAV sound

Dearborn Police Chief Ron Deziel says videotapes show the Finley family shoplifting 100K/09 sec. AIFF or WAV sound

Among the issues raised by activists in the case:

  •  The use of excessive force by security guards deprived Finley of his civil rights.

  •  They accuse Lord & Taylor of "racial profiling" -- targeting a person because of race.

  •  They say the store uses black security workers to scrutinize minority shoppers to avoid the appearance of discrimination.

  •  The security tapes showing the alleged shoplifting have not been made public.

Lord & Taylor, which has offered condolences to the Finley family, has not commented on the racial profiling allegation.

The facts, says Deziel, don't support such a charge. "It's a matter of the security guards doing their job, exerting the authority that they have," the police chief said.

CNN Detroit Bureau Chief Ed Garsten contributed to this report.

Police in Michigan won't press charges in ill-fated shoplifting attempt
July 14, 2000
Federal authorities open civil rights review in shoplifting death
July 7, 2000
Store guard arraigned in choke-hold death
July 6, 2000

City of Dearborn, Michigan
Lord & Taylor
ACLU of Michigan

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