Tresa Baldas

Detroit Free Press

An activist is calling for the firing of four Wayne County prosecutors over their support of a convicted police officer, saying prosecutors have no business advocating on behalf of a narcotics officer convicted by a federal jury of conspiring with drug dealers to make money.

At issue are four prosecutors who wrote letters to a federal judge, asking him to show mercy to Lt. David Hansberry at his sentencing next week, claiming the 16-year veteran doesn't belong in prison and that the federal government and jury got it wrong in this case. One of those prosecutors, who once dated Hansberry, called the government "dangerously vindictive" and challenged the evidence in the case.

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The Detroit Coalition Against Police Brutality, which learned about the letters in an exclusive Free Press report Thursday, said the prosecutors crossed an ethical line and need to be let go.

"I find it astonishing that prosecutors would write letters of support for a convicted police officer. These police officers — they’re supposed to be held to a higher standard," said the group's spokesman, Kenneth Reed. "They're trying to free this man, and he was convicted of conspiring with known drug dealers? C'mon. Really? That is unconscionable, and they should not be working for the citizens of Wayne County any longer."

Especially troubling for Reed is that the prosecutors are calling for Hansberry to get probation when federal prosecutors are seeking 20 years.

"We were utterly shocked. They had the unmitigated gall to try to have this man's sentence reduced to probation. Really? I don’t think so," said Reed. He said a normal citizen facing a conspiracy conviction would get decades in prison.

Reed said this case adds to the mistrust in the justice system. "Prosecuting attorneys have to be held above reproach. Would you trust them on a case? I don’t think so," Reed said. " They have to be gone."

Maria Miller, spokeswoman for the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office, issued this statement late Friday:

"The Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office was just made aware of the situation yesterday. Prosecutor (Kym) Worthy will be looking into this matter thoroughly to determine what action will be taken."

After learning about the letters Thursday, Worthy expressed frustration with the prosecutors, saying they wrote on behalf of Hansberry without notifying her or their supervisors. The letters were disclosed in a court filing this week, but were written weeks ago.

The case involves two narcotics officers who were convicted last summer of conspiring with drug dealers to steal drugs and cash seized in raids. Hansberry, 37, a 16-year police veteran, was convicted alongside his associate, Bryan Watson, 47, a 22-year veteran. The jury acquitted the pair on all nine substantive counts. Hansberry has asked for 15-21 months. Watson has requested 21-27 months. Federal prosecutors are seeking 20-year sentences for both.

But four Wayne County assistant prosecutors said Hansberry deserves probation, not prison. Among them is Christina Guirguis, who once dated Hansberry, according to trial testimony.

Three other Wayne County prosecutors also pleaded with U.S. District Judge Stephen Murphy to show leniency. They are Ron Haywood, Elizabeth Van Marcke and Amy Somers — all of whom portrayed Hansberry as a hardworking, dedicated narcotics officer who was passionate about his work and family.

Hansberry and Watson will be sentenced at 10 a.m. Feb. 22. They maintain that they did nothing illegal, but were trying to take down major drug traffickers in Detroit, and that part of that job entailed earning the trust of and talking with drug dealers and unsavory individuals who could tip them off. They claim those individuals got busted and then turned on the officers to save themselves.

The defense has long argued that the officers were targeted by an overzealous government that built its case largely on the lies of drug dealers who had an ax to grind.

Contact Tresa Baldas: tbaldas@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @Tbaldas.