Christine Beatty goes on record in Greene case in sealed deposition

DETROIT (WXYZ) - Lawyers questioned Christine Beatty under oath for hours Friday as part of the slain stripper lawsuit. Beatty first testified back on July 28. This was day two of her testimony, with an extension of time that was granted by the court.

Attorney Norman Yatooma arrived for the deposition of Beatty weighed down with two huge briefcases, full of files.

“We’re just here to find out what Ms. Beatty doesn’t know, doesn’t remember, or can’t talk about,” Yatooma sarcastically told Action News Investigator Heather Catallo.

Yatooma is suing the City of Detroit and former mayor Kwame Kilpatrick – claiming they obstructed the investigation into the murder of Tamara Greene. Greene was an exotic dancer, who was shot to death in 2003. It’s been rumored that she danced at a never proven Manoogian Mansion party, where Kilpatrick’s wife, Carlita, allegedly assaulted Greene.

Yatooma can’t say much about Beatty’s deposition because it’s sealed – but he did tell Action News, Beatty is an important figure in his case.

“She was the Chief of Staff during the alleged Manoogian Mansion party period. She was the Chief of Staff during Tamara Greene’s murder. She was the Chief of Staff when Tamara Greene’s murder was covered up. She’s the Chief – she’s important to this case,” said Yatooma.

Beatty’s lawyer, Mayer Morganroth, told us, she’s eager to be finished with this lawsuit so she can move on with her new life in Atlanta, Georgia.

“Coming in is not easy for her – she doesn’t have the money to come in, frankly. And it’s an ordeal,” said Morganroth.

Meanwhile, earlier this week, city attorney John Schapka filed a motion – alerting the court that he will be asking the judge to dismiss this lawsuit. The reason? Schapka claims that even though discovery produced thousands of pages of testimony, more than 10,000 pages of Detroit Police and Fire source documents, along with lengthy State Police and Detroit Homicide records – Yatooma has come up with no real evidence of a cover-up or obstruction.

Kwame Kilpatrick’s lawyer, Jim Thomas, says he also plans to ask the judge to throw out the lawsuit.

“You saw that the city’s going to be filing theirs – we’ll be filing ours as well,” said Thomas.

Norman Yatooma calls the claim that has no evidence “nonsense.”