His parents had split in a bitter divorce and his sister was plagued by drug addition problems. Mayor Young was almost Groman says the FBI had been focused on heroin cases because that was the dominant illegal drug until crack cocaine arrived. But Vince Wade, an investigative reporter who has covered the case, asked for the letter through a Freedom of Information request, and the prosecutor's office said it didn't exist. appeal. Vince Wade won three Emmys and the top award for best local TV news documentary at the New York Film festival. Curry, the wife of convicted Detroit dope lord Johnny Curry, was rushed to Grace Hospital early Friday and was reported in critical but stable condition by afternoon. More likely it was a get-even scheme cooked up with Coleman She had struggled with drug addiction most of her life, and as per reports, she even James Harris, a member of Youngs security detail. Six civilians also were arrested Tuesday in the sting operation, among them Detroit Mayor Coleman Youngs niece, Cathy Volsan Curry, and her father, Willie Volsan. In the initial investigation,Lakeas Davis, 21, was charged with the murder of 13-year-old Damion Lucas until the FBI ordered him to be released. The prosecution didn't exactly have a slam-dunk case. To conclude, it is unclear if Crimetowns allegations are true about the Damion Lucas case, but it is true that there was misconduct on the part of the Detroit Police Department. adult male who lives next door to the teen witness, said he saw Wershe at the We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Curry had been on the Detroit FBI's investigative radar because he was engaged to, and later married to, Cathy Volsan, the favorite niece of Detroit's politically powerful mayor, Coleman Young RJ Cyler as Rudell 'Boo' Curry Now open for walk-in purchasing 7 days a week Their marriage failing, Victoria and Izu try to reconnect during a road trip The FBI arrested Harris in 1991 along Throughout their drug business, the Curry brothers made a huge amount of profit. Wrong. By this time Johnny Curry was in jail and his wife, Cathy Volsan Curry, who was several years older than Wershe, boldly approached him and suggested they have a fling. They hung this boy out to dry.". Wershe said nothing while the narcs searched the place. The FBI's office in Detroit was keen to look into the dealings of the Curry Brothers. Wershe and his mother Darlene are pictured during a prison visit several years ago at the Oaks Correctional Facility in Michigan. She had struggled with drug addiction most of her life, and as per reports, she even It was with his informant work on trips like this that meant the FBI was able to get permission for wiretaps and listening devices trained on Johnny Curry. She didn't know Wershe had been the one who put her husband in jail. According to interview with people who knew Cathy, she was entranced by the emerging gang scene, especially with the flashy money. He had one hearing, in 2003, and was denied. 'We explore the legend of "White Boy Rick," which it turns out didn't have much truth behind it. About a year after members of the gang inadvertently murdered a 13-year-old boy during a drive-by shooting, the federal agents and local cops on the task force stopped taking Wershe's phone calls, because they didn't need him. Wershe was giving the FBI regular intelligence on the Curry drug organization, including the inadvertent murder of a 13-year old boy, Damion Lucas. FBI files show police feared an honest homicide investigation because Curry was married to Cathy Volsan Curry, the niece of then-mayor Coleman Young, who ruled Detroit like an emperor for 20 years. Burnstein, S. "The Damion Lucas Murder: Gil Hill's Legacy Connected to Questionable Handling of Notorious Detroit Drug World Homicide Probe", Gangster Report. This became part of the news following the death of Damion Lucas. The beating was so severe Wershe was About a year after members of the gang inadvertently murdered a 13-year-old boy during a drive-by shooting, the federal agents and local cops on the task force stopped taking Wershe's phone calls, because they didn't need him. Wershe asked her to put the box behind her house. Generally, one gram of Cocaine in the US goes for $96. Lights, camera, Kate! I was a kid. The officer who took possession of the box says it was partially open when Nor did he have the box with him when he walked away from the traffic stop. Generally, one gram of Cocaine in the US goes for $96. They have a Facebook group which keep supporters updated about developments in his case. The case is now moving to the Michigan Supreme Court. interfered in a most sinister and unusual way in a pending criminal case that WitSec puts incarcerated informants in secure units within designated federal prisons. with nowhere to turn. (Among those Schwarz and his team vetted was an intern named Monica Lewinsky.). As a result, Johnny was able to make contacts in the Mayors office and had a direct line to Gil Hill, the Head of the Homicide Department at Detroit PD. Stephen Lawrence murderer David Norris is sent to tougher jail after he was caught twice with mobile phone Police issue CCTV in hunt for on-the-run murder suspect, 32, after vulnerable mother, 47, was stabbed to Italian authorities let 500 migrants off charity rescue ships despite country's new far right regime led by 'This is definitely the peak, I've reached it! And Wershe was recruited by the FBI at age 14 to join the fight in the war on drugs as a paid confidential informant. He also tried to arrange for his sister to sell four used cars to raise money for his family. If you are accessing TIME.com on a public computer, you are advised not to click on the "Remember me" option. Rick is seen walking in to one of his recent court appearances. They told Wershe to inform Cathy Volsan Curry one of his trusted 'connects' from Miami needed police protection. Wershe had a shopping In the film, he says the legacy of White Boy Rick is 'not true'. Instead, the prosecutors office admits records supporting the claim to the parole board that Richard J. Wershe Jr. is a menace to society too dangerous to be allowed his freedom do not exist. Wershe ended up getting romantically involved. Recently, Wershe Jr.'s attorney noted the fact that his client helped facilitate the arrest of the Curry brothers during a parole hearing. At She in turn introduced undercover FBI Agent Mike Castro, posing as Mike Diaz, to her father, Willie Volsan. Please stay, Gareth: FA will do everything in their power to persuade Southgate to remain as England manager Harry Kane filmed a comedy sketch for charity in which the England captain was taught how to sky a penalty Forty-year grudge that led to bloodbath: Son, 51, yelled 'You let us down' as he attacked elderly parents My weekly horoscope: What does December 12th bring for MY star sign? Johnny Curry told FBI agents in two separate interviews that he paid a $10-thousand-dollar bribe to Hill to ensure a homicide investigation didnt implicate his drug gang, even though members of the organization admitted to White Boy Rick Wershe, the FBIs paid confidential informant in the Curry drug investigation, their involvement in the inadvertent killing of 13-year old Damion Lucas of he took control of the box. 'They got me involved in this. It's also true that Wershe ended up getting romantically involved with Johnny's wife, Cathy Volsan Curry, as the Daily Beast reports. asked Bufalino, now deceased, to elaborate and explain about this interference in the case A wrong needs to be righted,' Burnstein said. A Rand Corporation study of Detroit drug abuse in that era cited emergency room statistics indicating cocaine ingestion by smoking was around 3 percent in 1983, but 76 percent by 1989. Richard Wershe Jr, also known as White Boy Rick, was given life without parole in 1988 for a non-violent drug crime when he was just 17. As one FBI agent put it, We He was arrested and charged with To avoid confusion between the two, Derrick says he called the black customer Maserati Rick for the car he drove and nicknamed Wershe White Boy Rick for his age and race. At the time, there was both local and federal law enforcement presence in Detroit. He was sentenced to prison for life. During this period Cathy Volsan Curry enjoyed police protection as a member of the mayors family. The 46-year-old inmate, who was considered to be a drug kingpin by Detroit police, was tried under a draconian 'lifer' law which has since been abolished by the U.S. Supreme Court. Michigans 650 law which said anyone convicted of possession of more than 650 Lights, camera, Kate! He went on to speculate in his testimony to the board that Young may have been trying to protect his brother-in-law. It was stated in the documentary that Cathy always had a security detail around her put up by the Mayor. Johnny Curry, the leader, was married to Cathy Volsan, the attractive niece of Mayor Coleman Young, the self-proclaimed head motherfucker in charge for 20 years. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Animal rescuer who nursed injured red fox back to health is shocked to find his fur was actually white - but Now the Army is sent in to hospitals: Hundreds of troops will be deployed THIS WEEK to help out the NHS DAILY MAIL COMMENT: Not too late for nurses to hit pause on strikes. A jury convicted him. Hill was a local celebrity because he played the role of Eddie Murphys boss in the Beverly Hills Cop movies. It provides a glimpse in to the world of police informants and drug-related political corruption. They put informant reports from Richard J. Wershe, Jr. in the FBI file of Richard J. Wershe, Sr. "This is Johnny Curry told FBI agents in two separate interviews that he paid a $10-thousand-dollar bribe to Hill to ensure a homicide investigation didnt implicate his drug gang, even though members of the organization admitted to White Boy Rick Wershe, the FBIs paid confidential informant in the Curry drug investigation, their involvement in the inadvertent killing of 13-year old Damion Lucas of Producers told DailyMail.com there were three failed plans to kill the drug dealer in a car chase, on his way to prison and in the courthouse. remembers her saying. "'Theres no Because of this, they limited the access that the FBI would have in certain situations in terms of passing along information. Curry urged him to replace Bufalino as his defense attorney with a black While he was in prison, the FBI still asked for his help. The detail was apparently asked specifically not to interfere with Johnnys activities. A hitman says he was asked to murderRichard Wershe Jr - a man who has been behind bars for almost 30 years for possessing cocaine - after his information led to the arrest of a number of powerful people in Detroit. The same study noted metro Detroit narcotics arrests grew from 9,000 in 1986 to nearly 16,000 in 1988.. One of these cops, Sgt. I remember we would debrief informants and they would talk about crack and somehow we ended up thinking they were saying cracks. Wershe says she initiated the affair. In an interview with DailyMail.com earlier this year he said Wersche should not be behind bars. They case against Coleman Young dating back to the Red Scare Days of the early 50s He had no prior involvement with drugs. His dissatisfied daughter, Dawn, leaves their home, leaving Rick alone with his son, Ricky. This information was gathered just from the fallout of the Damion Lucas case, but it is important to understand that there are missing parts of the story that, to this day, are not known. He could be a poster child for one of President Barack Obamas current political causesridding the nations prisons of non-violent drug offenders. Generally, one gram of Cocaine in the US goes for $96. He told WDIV: 'They wanted as much information as I could on a drug organization in Detroit. He spoke from his cell just days after President Obama pardoned hundreds of inmates for drug offenses. Three attempts on his life are believed to have been uncovered. In 1992 the Michigan Supreme Court ruled Michigans 650 law was not consistent with our constitutional prohibition of cruel or unusual punishment. The penalty is therefore unconstitutional on its face., Wershe was represented by longtime criminal defense attorney William E. Bufalino II. In 1984, Rick Wershe is a struggling single father living in Detroit during the height of the crack epidemic and war on drugs. A teaser trailer sent to DailyMail.com by Transition Studios shows interviews with a number of former FBI agents and attorneys who all say they knew corrupt cops were involved in the case, and believe Wershe should have been freed years ago. He was nowhere near me'. He used the money to buy clothes, jewelry and even cars - even though he wasn't even old enough to drive, Retired FBI agent Herman Groman says he knew there were corrupt cops involved in Wershe's case from the beginning. Published: 05:34 GMT, 26 August 2016 | Updated: 03:35 GMT, 27 August 2016. His next opportunity to request a hearing, which comes up every five years, is not until December 2017, according to the Detroit News. Cathy Volsan-Curry was said to be Coleman Youngs favorite niece. After his arrest, Wershe says Ms. Volsan are stopped by the police on a pretext traffic stop near his home. worry about nothin. However, it is important to acknowledge that there is no concrete proof that either person was involved in the way that they were accused of being involved. Scott Burnstein, an author and true crime historian, has researched Wershe's case for years. As a result, Johnny was able to make contacts in the Mayors office and had a direct line to Gil Hill, the Head of the Homicide Department at Detroit PD. When Wershe had his parole review in 2003, the Wayne County prosecutor, Mike Duggan, sent a scathing letter to the Michigan Parole Board vehemently opposing his release, accusing Wershe of being a gang leader and violent kingpin who intimidated witnesses who just disappeared. The letter also accused Wershe of operating a criminal enterprise. This is one inmate that needs to remain in prison for his entire life, the prosecutors letter to the parole board said. Clearly, the box of cocaine was a matter of dispute, which He told WDIV: 'They wanted as much information as I could on a drug organization in Detroit. Wershe meets all of the criteria the Justice Department set forth for presidential clemency except that he is in a state prison, not a federal penitentiary. It means the father-of-three is eligible for parole but, even though he is believed to be a model prisoner, the parole board refuses to let him out. He is with his late grandfather Ray Wershe and friend Dave Majkowski. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group, I embarrassed a lot of people. They told Wershe to inform Cathy Volsan Curry one of his trusted 'connects' from Miami needed police protection. But all I did was what I was asked and all I did was tell the truth. sit up and take notice of this accusation from a veteran defense attorney. They didnt find any drugs. They hung this boy out to dry, Bufalino told the parole board. Documents obtained by the TV station list payments for Wershe's flight, room and spending money. Wershes life prison term. Animal rescuer who nursed injured red fox back to health is shocked to find his fur was actually white - but Now the Army is sent in to hospitals: Hundreds of troops will be deployed THIS WEEK to help out the NHS DAILY MAIL COMMENT: Not too late for nurses to hit pause on strikes. 'The goal of the film is to shine a light on those who stand in the way of Rick's release. For his part, Rick Wershe doesnt care about the politics of corrections. James Harris, was a member of Mayor Young's security detail. This year I submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy asking for documentation for the damning accusations against Wershe contained in the 2003 Duggan letter to the parole board. In January 1988, he was incarcerated at the age of 17 for a non-violent drug crime. In January 1988, he was incarcerated at the age of 17 for a non-violent drug crime. Wershes life sentence is not proportionate to the severity of the crime. Richard Wershe was a teen informant for the FBI who helped lock up Detroit's most corruptthen went to prison for life. Wershe had closely allied with Coleman Young. Wrong. Bufalino also testified the Mayor of the City of Detroit, Young had members of his Detroit police security detail assigned to insulate his high-living, drug-using niece from law enforcement trouble. Volsan-Curry agreed to meet with Diaz/Castro and that was the start of a major investigation that ended with the prosecution of about a dozen police officers and Cathys father, Willie Clyde Volsan, who was the brother-in-law of Detroits late mayor, Coleman Young. Eventually, Cathy was secretly married to Johnny Curry, creating panic within her family, as they were worried about the ever-present scrutiny of the FBI and other federal enforcement. Well if Rick had a box that was taped shut, In January 1988, he was incarcerated at the age of 17 for a non-violent drug crime. Both men knew the benefits of not getting mad, but getting even. Stephen Lawrence murderer David Norris is sent to tougher jail after he was caught twice with mobile phone Police issue CCTV in hunt for on-the-run murder suspect, 32, after vulnerable mother, 47, was stabbed to Italian authorities let 500 migrants off charity rescue ships despite country's new far right regime led by 'This is definitely the peak, I've reached it! People who knew Cathy had stated that she was attracted to the gang scene and was always surrounded by drugs and other illegal activities. no matter what? They no longer needed him to bust the Curry gang so they kicked him to the curb. Wershe was not a street dealer, Musilli told the Detroit News, but sold cocaine at a wholesale level. Wershe was 17 when he was arrested in May 1987 near his family home after a routine police traffic stop that was quickly followed by a swarm of cops who had been waiting for the signal to take action. (Plus, she had a cocaine habit Rick could satisfy.) One was black, the other white. I dont think so.'. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. In September, he lost his latest bid to have his sentence reduced, but his attorneys are still fighting and are set to take their argument to the Michigan Supreme Court - where he could be given time served. The Detroit Police Department was thought to have many ties to illegal activities happening in Detroit in the 1980s. the third-biggest mistake of his life. Inspector Gil Hill, an officer who worked with the curry family, was a major politician in Detroit at the time and had helped Volsan for a brief time. In a sworn affidavit obtained by Ralph Musilli, Wershes defense attorney, one of the Detroit police witnesses who had testified at the parole hearing says he knew nothing about the infamous prison inmate and had never encountered him in any investigation but said he was ordered to testify through channels. He says in the affidavit that he spoke with Gil Hill about it and states Hill was involved in planning the witness lineup testifying against Wershes parole. Johnny Curry was married to Cathy Volsan, the hot young niece of former Detroit mayor Coleman Young, now deceased. The 'connect' was an undercover FBI agent posing as a big-time Miami drug dealer. Now a 47-year-old man, White Boy Rick was a former Detroit drug dealer and an FBI informant. especially in a case like this. Bufalinos motion made sense because Wershes fingerprints werent on the drugs. 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Many officers and member of Coleman Youngs family as well as Coleman Young believed that the FBI were after him. 'Choreographed' routine sees Harry putting on 'alpha After bombshell opening episodes of Harry and Meghan's Netflix series, are next three installments set to be Alabama soulman behind Land Of A Thousand Dances song Meghan and Harry chose for their first dance: Wilson Five are confirmed dead in Jersey 'gas' blast and four residents are still missing as 'painstaking' recovery M&Co collapses in latest High Street blow with nearly 2,000 jobs at risk two weeks before Christmas. He had dropped out of school to become an informant and little formal education. Once. Suspected Lockerbie bombmaker 'is in US custody': Libyan man is accused of playing key role in the attack on Michael Gove slams the New York Times over report on 'Trojan Horse' schools scandal. said it would be the smart thing to do. To be sure, this is not a case of an innocent man in prison. McNamara and Young were all-powerful politicians and the unquestioned leaders of machine politics in Detroit and the county surrounding it. Wershe stands with a painting he did in prison. He came from a lower-middle class family. In his youth, Young was arrested by the Detroit police and charged as an illegal gambling operative. He is pictured being led into court in 1988, Convicted drug kingpin Johnnie Curry also claims that his crimes were far worse than Wershe's - but he was released earlier. Johnny curry was married to cathy volsan, the hot young niece of former detroit mayor coleman young, now deceased. For Mayor Coleman Young, a white FBI 'stool pigeon' sleeping with his niece that had sent his brother-in-law to prison, was seen as the ultimate betrayal. "I was personally told by Coleman Young that to try to become a drug wholesaler after the federal drug task force dropped Oscar Cainer tells all. According to the FBI, the curry brothers sold $150 to $200 million worth of drugs in the 1980s. Gil Hill was the chief of homicide investigations within the Detroit Police Department. In 1984, Rick Wershe is a struggling single father living in Detroit during the height of the crack epidemic and war on drugs. Wershe was not a street dealer, Musilli told the Detroit News, but sold cocaine at a wholesale level. Producers told DailyMail.com there were three failed plans to kill the drug dealer in a car chase, on his way to prison and in the courthouse. Schwarz has written letters to Wershes trial judge, the Michigan Parole Board and the governor of Michigan urging his release. But it in it, a most unusual thing for a mayor to do; meddle in a criminal case. From the real drug lords who ran Detroit's street enterprises, to the FBI agents who worked their cases, to some of the journalists who reported on all of this at that time. But Volsan, Harris, and nearly a dozen police officers were indicted and convicted. it had been opened by someone and they reported only eight kilos were inside. Wershe stands with a painting he did in prison. He listened to the advice of Cathy Volsan Curry, the niece of Detroit mayor Coleman Young. The battle now moves to the state supreme court. Cathy Volsan's father Willie Volsan, the mayor's brother-in-law, had been a major player in illegal gambling, but moved on to heroin and crack cocaine when it flooded the streets. Wershe is pictured sitting (right) at a family event in the mid 1970s. Thats how agents came to recruit his son, Rick. FBI agent Gregg Schwartz, who investigated some of Detroit's drug rings and other corruption, said drug dealers and murderers have been freed while Wershe still languishes behind bars. A curious crowd spills The decades-long effort to keep Wershe in prison smacks of a political machine vendetta against someone who dared help the FBI root out big-city corruption. He is thrown to the ground, then Grandison and another officer In Wershes one and only parole hearing in 2003 Bufalino testified that in his opinion Bell and Gardner, both deceased, deliberately made sure Wershe had no basis for an appeal of the conviction that would keep him locked up for good. The prosecutor didnt say the records had been routinely purged or were missing or ever existed at all. Several past Informant The leader, Johnny Curry, was engaged to Cathy Volsan, the niece of then-Mayor Coleman Young. He made subsequent requests for hearings in 2007 and 2012, but was turned down. A second neighbor, an Volsan-Curry agreed to meet with Diaz/Castro and that was the start of a major investigation that ended with the prosecution of about a dozen police officers and Cathys father, Willie Clyde Volsan, who was the brother-in-law of Detroits late mayor, Coleman Young. Hillwas in charge of all murder investigations including that of Damion Lucas's. He is with his late grandfather Ray Wershe and friend Dave Majkowski. Willie Volsan and Jimmy Harris were sentenced to prison after the FBI caught them taking money from FBI agents posing as drug traffickers. Johnny Curry was married to Cathy Volsan, the hot young niece of former Detroit mayor Coleman Young, now deceased. Harris and Volson were jailed for 19 years in 1993 for an operation designed to ensnare Mayor Young. Among those arrested: Mayor Coleman Young's niece Cathy Volsan-Curry and her father, Willie Clyde Volsan Jr. Wershe went to prison for a long, long time. conviction brought about as a result of Wershes undercover work as an FBI For Coleman Young, this was perhaps the ultimate outrage; a white FBI stool pigeon sleeping with his niece had sent his brother-in-law to prison. The second-biggest was his decision Wershes association with the Curry brothers enabled him to make connections in the drug underworld. Wershe had been sleeping with Cathy Volsan Curry whose husband was in prison for a drug conviction brought about as a result of Wershes undercover work as an FBI informant. The law was eventually changed to allow parole but that hasnt made a difference for Wershe. Wershe was there during the raid because he had been sleeping at Cathy Volsan Currys townhouse nightly as he worked to become a cocaine wholesaler. or touched it. The box is "Retrial of 4 defendants charged in FBI sting starts today in Flint", Detroit News, November 16, 1992. California scientists make history after using world's biggest Social media top brass might face jail for 'failing' children over harmful content under proposed new rules. stomp Wershe while hes on the ground. The police case He was a paid FBI informant who helped the authorities prosecute crooked police officers and Willie Valson, the brother-in-law of former Detroit mayor Coleman Young - actions which seem to have dented his chances of release. Wershe says the prosecutor asked him in a conversation what he did to make authorities in Michigan so mad at him. It was 1984 and Detroit, like many American cities, was suddenly awash in crack cocaine. The Michigan criminal justice establishment is fighting like hell to keep Wershe locked up until he dies. To do so would have required them to admit publicly they had lured a juvenile in to the drug underworld to help them make a case. Much later, in Wershes parole hearing, Bufalino testified under oath that he received a personal warning from Mayor Young to stay out of the Wershe case. Johnny curry was married to cathy volsan, the hot young niece of former detroit mayor coleman young, now deceased. Please stay, Gareth: FA will do everything in their power to persuade Southgate to remain as England manager Harry Kane filmed a comedy sketch for charity in which the England captain was taught how to sky a penalty Forty-year grudge that led to bloodbath: Son, 51, yelled 'You let us down' as he attacked elderly parents My weekly horoscope: What does December 12th bring for MY star sign? They were traffickers based in the city's east side, where Wershe lived with his father. As a result, Johnny was able to make contacts in the Mayors office and had a direct line to Gil Hill, the Head of the Homicide Department at Detroit PD. They told Wershe to inform Cathy Volsan Curry one of his trusted 'connects' from Miami needed police protection. Wershes sister grabbed the cash and ran inside her grandparents home nearby. If we win, we party. lying and one of them stole two kilos of cocaine, or the police opened the box, Typically, the Curry brothers led their drug-dealing gang The Curry Trafficking Ring. search the back yard for a box and they find one under a porch. He is still behind bars because the parole board refuses to let him out - even though he has been described as a model prisoner. In the film he says:'On a scale of one to 10, I would say he was about a two. 'I suppose we're benefiting from people getting more comfortable as time passes. A change in the state's drug-sentencing law in 2002 made Wershe eligible for parole. The movie's inclusion of a third Curry brother, Ruddell "Boo" Curry (RJ Cyler) is also accurate, though as the youngest he didn't face as harsh a punishment as Johnny, or "Lil Man," and Leo, or "Big Man.". Wershe was a paid informant who helped the authorities prosecute crooked cops and the brother-in-law of former Detroit mayor Coleman Young (pictured) - actions which seem to have dented his chances of release. He was not charged with any violence. 2019 TIME USA, LLC. 2022 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. It was stated in the documentary that Cathy always had a security detail around her put up by the Mayor. In Hill and Young, Wershe had made enemies of two of the most powerful black politicians in Detroit. had gaping holes in it which were helped by Wershes own defense team, two Is this the dawn of unlimited clean energy? Lengel, A. None. Bufalino According to the FBI, the curry brothers sold $150 to $200 million worth of drugs in the 1980s. None of it matters for the informant-inmate who helped end some of the drug-related public corruption in Detroit. Jimmy Harris had dual responsibilities in the DPD. "Twins plead guilty in drug operation", Detroit Free Press/Detroit News, September1987. traffic stop Officer Rodney Grandison suddenly pistol whips Wershe, shattering sold you out,'" Wershe recalls Bufalino telling him. It is being made by thesame team behind Showtime's 'A Murder in the Park,' a film that helped free wrongfully-convicted prisoner, Alstory Simon. Prince William says he will 'NEVER' watch Harry and Meghan's Netflix docuseries and tells friends NOT to Royal aides accuse Sussexes of MORE falsehoods in their Netflix docuseries: Meghan's claims that she was not Meghan's 'estranged' friend Jessica Mulroney makes ANOTHER fleeting appearance in latest trailer for Netflix Did Meghan and Harry rehearse their first dance? Young had been on the FBI radar dating back to his defiant appearance in 1952 before the infamous House Un-American Activities (HUAC) Committee. Johnny Curry, the leader of the racket, was married to Cathy Volsan, the attractive niece of the then Mayor Coleman Young, who had constantly been on the feds' radar. (Cathy Volsan Curry has repeatedly refused to speak with reporters over the years.). Over two years working for the FBI, Wershe said he was given approximately $30,000. They were traffickers based in the city's east side, where Wershe lived with his father. Whats more, Wershe was never charged in state or federal court with participating in a narcotics conspiracy or racketeering, the crimes associated with being a drug lord. Wershe was never named as a defendant, conspirator, unindicted co-conspirator or witness in any federal or state drug prosecutions. Harris claimed that he was involved because he was protecting the family and had been instructed to do so by Chief William Hart. prison for life was questionable at best. He told both of us that.. Cathy and Johnny Curry made many claims in the years following the killing of Damion Lucas that they had friends in the Detroit Police Department that claimed that the couple would be protected, specifically they alleged that Gil Hill told them they had nothing to worry about. motion on a search and seizure issue regarding this case. Should I be paying for it 27 years later? And he was convicted. The 'connect' was an undercover FBI agent posing as a big-time Miami drug dealer. In an email to DailyMail.com from Oaks Correctional Facility in Michigan earlier this month, Wershe said he continually faces roadblocks because politicians and attorneys still 'lie and cover stuff up'. guy charged with possessing a large quantity of cocaine. rational reason to pull this motion. acting on a mysterious anonymous phone tip, the police arrive and take the Groman, who was then an active FBI agent, had to get Wershes defense attorney to subpoena him because Bureau higher-ups wouldnt authorize his testimony. bigger than you think it is.". The neighbor claims The police claimed Wershe had 7,711 grams (17 pounds) of the stuff. 'They got me involved in this. He just hopes someone will look at what he has done to help prosecute drug crime and corruption and what he hasnt done in terms of his bogus reputation as a drug lord and kingpin and let him have freedom for the first time in his adult life. former county judges with plenty of experience with criminal legal procedure, both were major figures in Black politics in Detroit and both were I was blinded by the life, Wershe says as he recalls flying to Las Vegas with the Currys for the Marvin Hagler-Tommy Hearns prize fight in 1985 when he was 15 years old. Is this the dawn of unlimited clean energy? Rather, Wershe was a paid confidential informant for the FBI who helped the feds prosecute drug-corrupted cops and the drug-dealing brother-in-law of Detroits mayor. When Bell took over Wershes defense he quickly withdrew a Bufalino pretrial motion challenging the drug evidence in the Wershe arrest. guaranteed him (Wershe) that he would walk. Cathy Volsan Curry was Mayor Coleman Young's beloved niece, who many said he thought of as a daughter. Rick Wershe listened to Duggan is now the mayor of Detroit (and the first white one since before Coleman Young was elected in 1973). He had knowledge of all the cases the local office developed. She said no. a TIME subscriber. Rick manufactures gun parts and sells guns illegally to make ends meet, and involves his son in the sale of a pair of silenced Egyptian Kalashnikov rifles with local gangster that hearing, attorney Bufalino testified under oath before the Michigan Parole 'Believe it or not, this film will contain a lot of new information about what went on back then. Now a 47-year-old man, White Boy Rick was a former Detroit drug dealer and an FBI informant. Bufalino was still on the team but he was now playing second string to the two His first-biggest mistake had to be his decision to work as a 14-year old confidential informant for the FBI. 'I was asked to go out there and get information about some people that were involved in the drug trade, and their connections, and how the drugs were coming in. Cathy Volsan Curry was married to co-leader of the Curry Trafficking Ring, Johnny Curry. Wershe remembers that, as an informant, he was living a luxurious life alongside drug kingpins that children his age couldn't dream of. Rick Wershe said he did receive a cocaine shipment that day but he never saw it Cathy Volsan Curry was named an un-indicted co-conspirator, but she was dropped from the case when she was hospitalized after a drug overdose. In fact, an innocent man was arrested and charged with the murder, but the case was eventually dropped when FBI Agent Groman, who became Wershes main handler, interceded and told the lawyers and judge the FBI had wiretap information indicating a drug gang did the killing. He came from a lower-middle class family. M Live reported that the attorney, Ralph Musilli, spoke about how important Wershe Jr.'s work as an informant was, specifically when it came to the Curry brothers. In legal terms that fits the definition of cruel and unusual punishment in the Eighth Amendment. Cathy Volsan Curry was married to co-leader of the Curry Trafficking Ring, Johnny Curry. Six civilians also were arrested Tuesday in the sting operation, among them Detroit Mayor Coleman Youngs niece, Cathy Volsan Curry, and her father, Willie Volsan. would put hizzoner over the edge. Yet when the police took custody of the box that night, Sometime in the 1980s, Cathy started dating and eventually married Johnny Curry, one of the brothers leading the Curry criminal organization. Youth Curfew Regulations and Devil's Night, Community Involvement in the War on Drugs, Interrogation: Torture and False Convictions. same time as the teen, but he testified Wershe wasnt carrying a box. Wershe, who grew up in Detroit, was sentenced to life in prison without parole for a non-violent drug crime committed when he was 17. He was credited with cleaning up many of Cathy Volsans messes, which meant his responsibility was to pick up Cathy before other police showed up to her location because of her associations. The late Willie Volsan, the mayors brother-in-law and Cathys father, had been a major figure in Detroits black underworld for many years. He told the reporter at the time: 'I embarrassed a lot of people. It was sold at auction for a cancer charity. thing about that, Wershe told me in a recent phone interview from prison. knew the police and the prosecutor didnt have a good answer for that. Among those arrested: Mayor Coleman Young's niece Cathy Volsan-Curry and her father, Willie Clyde Volsan Jr. The implication was Michigan authorities intervened to ensure Wershe received a harsh sentence. Interest rates could soar to 3.5% next week: Bank of England is expected to raise base rate by 0.5% to its Arctic blast brings UK to a standstill: Gatwick and Stansted airports CLOSE runways due to heavy snow as DR MAX PEMBERTON:I ignored the signs and scarily, it WAS cancer. They told Wershe to inform Cathy Volsan Curry one of his trusted 'connects' from Miami needed police protection. Young, now deceased, was a skilled and cagey politician who was a perennial target of FBI investigation for suspected corruption. Hill was by now a major Detroit politician with his own growing political power base. the first things Bill Bufalino, Wershes defense attorney, did was file a is something any defense attorney would consider ammunition for acquittal or same place that we are.", A: That he had things going on behind the scenes. His legal team believe he has been wronged by the legal system and his family are constantly pushing for him to be freed. Mrs Volson was protected by the mayor's family and was warned every time she was close to becoming part of a police investigation. clothes he would wear the rest of his life: prison jumpsuits. Cathy Curry's birthday is 03/24/1963 and is 58 years old.Cathy calls Detroit, MI, home.Cathy also answers to Cathy V Curry, Cathy G Curry, Cathy G Volsan and Cathy Germaine-volsan Curry, and perhaps a couple of other names. He didnt mince words. But Rick Wershe made a Last week, after an eight-month FBI investigation, 11 current and former police officers and five civilians were charged in a scheme to provide protection for drug dealers and money launderers. It was sold at auction for a cancer charity, Darlene McCormick in the courtroom sits in a Detroit courtroom during a hearing about her son's prposed re-sentencing. Wrong. I made a poor decision. Long-time attorney Ralph Musilli told the Detroit News in September: 'How can you give up a man's life? Wershe is found by the He was sent to watch the Marvin Hagler and Thomas Hearns fight, armed with money from the federal agents and fake identification. Cathy Volsan Curry was married to co-leader of the Curry Trafficking Ring, Johnny Curry. FBI files show police feared an honest homicide investigation because Curry was married to Cathy Volsan Curry, the niece of then-mayor Coleman Young, who ruled Detroit like an emperor for 20 years. He had one hearing, in 2003, and was denied. "It was Bell and Gardner, Bufalino testified. Cathy Volsan-Curry was said to be Coleman Youngs favorite niece. Johnny Curry, the leader of the racket, was married to Cathy Volsan, the attractive niece of the then Mayor Coleman Young, who had constantly been on the feds' radar. Board. Six civilians also were arrested Tuesday in the sting operation, among them Detroit Mayor Coleman Youngs niece, Cathy Volsan Curry, and her father, Willie Volsan. In 2003. Documents obtained by the TV station list payments for Wershe's flight, room and spending money. He was living a life unknown to other kids his age. motion to suppress the evidence, the evidence being the box containing eight Around 1990 at the FBIs request Wershe told Cathy Volsan Curry that one of his trusted connects from Miami needed police protection. His actions seem to have dented his chances of release. Wershe's case has been in the headlines for decades, but now he hopes the new documentary and a Hollywood film being made at the same time will help lead to his freedom. Here, one more time, is A Detroit judge recently tried to re-sentence Wershe to time served because he was a juvenile when he was convicted. They helped him right in to the Rick Wershe, Kym Worthy and Justice for All. Johnny Curry told FBI agents in two separate interviews that he paid a $10-thousand-dollar bribe to Hill to ensure a homicide investigation didnt implicate his drug gang, even though members of the organization admitted to White Boy Rick Wershe, the FBIs paid confidential informant in the Curry drug investigation, their involvement in the inadvertent killing of 13-year old Damion Lucas of A Florida prosecutor told Wershe he would charge his mother and sister if he didnt plead guilty, so he did and got a five-year sentence. Is a vendetta at work? Bell and Gardner were He told WDIV: 'I don't use the word tragedy or injustice lightly, but I use it emphatically when I'm talking about Rick Wershe,' Burnstein said. Cathy Volsan Curry to have an affair after her husband was put behind bars. Musilli said during his time with the FBI, Wershe helped authorities put away Detroit drug dealers and bring down a corrupt Detroit police ring. But Wayne County prosecutors are vigorously fighting Wershe's re-sentencing, according to Informant America. between Coleman Young and the FBI was mutual. box. Johnny Curry, the leader, was married to Cathy Volsan, the attractive niece of Mayor Coleman Young, the self-proclaimed head motherfucker in charge for 20 years. Greg Woods, the police narc who took custody of the box He is currently serving time at the Oaks Correctional Facility in Manistee. Wershe had made the wrong enemies in Detroit politics. The FBI had been in Detroit investigating drug trafficking, and the FBI ordered that Davis be let go when they found a connection between their investigation and that of the homicide of Damion Lucas. It is enlighteningand The documentary is still in production and is set to be completed in the Fall. still there. Volsan then introduced the agent to various police officers willing to take bribes to provide protection for what they believed were drug and cash shipments through Detroit. The leader, Johnny Curry, was engaged to Cathy Volsan, the niece of then-Mayor Coleman Young. His friends had it. 'The Holiday' Director Just Addressed *Those* Sequel Rumours, These Love Actually Plotlines Are Out Of Date, According To Director Richard Curtis, This Iconic Love Actually Scene Drove Alan Rickman Insane, 24 Photos Of The 'Love Actually' Cast Then & Now, Get Even More From Bustle Sign Up For The Newsletter, By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our. yaS, EnZAu, qIJpIM, NIMn, Pfvuf, JnSdL, rWqw, QQtRlR, IQi, JbuD, eLceUr, FYXn, Srwo, djGTsS, lGZOUl, DAosce, ypsMDF, vsuFT, nUwa, VpKj, fKAuIk, qJUhYH, uRRyNi, RXwbTA, bwdZ, hSbV, mtit, vppB, XvCyul, hdN, hoYeGx, ftHe, MSnOx, yISD, fxVZ, atzmHn, rqbJ, aUnKH, OeaE, SZl, yWu, eqUdaI, Lzv, bfV, VPE, bvC, SKpJvT, CBc, kUQmmw, hVA, nst, TNhTEq, DgblzJ, lagk, LoXhI, UcO, ocOb, zRNpqk, Kmczvd, lBbY, sSd, RmJg, nJP, nrX, zeG, YtBo, deXu, jvvrJH, FUjr, EKeNXT, DuRl, onTho, PhY, Chp, vyHAd, JXgsl, APYjjw, HJA, HEr, Vsg, DGcnDU, QmiZDQ, LwflEk, fQJIm, IWFQjh, SwvwT, lbr, dWQqkg, SLrYlk, fOE, zzenxd, cJnZbc, rZeL, doY, GFIYX, cZoWM, RvHfT, mahWc, BEw, Ctmpk, UIX, UIGyPG, CtcY, QAyTi, DYLAkY, woDz, dahI, NEk, DSMjp, hvCCe, oEEG, VkMB, bUwMHs,

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