NOVEMBER 24-30, 1996 S VOL. 2 NO. 2 75 CENTS A PUBLICATION BY STRIKING ETROIT NEWSPAPER WORKERS ©TDSJ INSIDE The heroin pipeline By Raja Mishra how difficult it is to trace and eradi­ Journal Staff Writer From the cate heroin syndicates, with their con­ © Copyright 1996 Detroit Sunday Journal stantly shifting personnel and multi­ farious smuggling routes. Jumoke Kafayat Majekodunmi once poppy fields According to federal investigators, ran an unassuming women’s clothing wiretap transcripts and court affi­ boutique on a busy street in the north davits, Majekodunmi and co-conspira­ side of Chicago. Known as “Kafi” to of Asia tors, primarily Nigerian nationals, her friends, the 31-year-old Nigerian purchased heroin from farmers in immigrant sold colorful dresses, shoes, Thailand, smuggled it through Europe and purses at the store, called the to the streets and into Mexico and Guatemala, Women’s Affair Boutique. transported it across the border to According to neighboring shopkeep­of Detroit Texas, and delivered it to the small ers, she didn’t appear to do much busi­ Journal photo by REBECCA COOK clothing store at 5613 N. Ridge Street ness. In fact, her shop seemed more ofcenter for a massive international heroin syndicate. in Chicago. From there it was parceled a social club for her friends than a out for street sales in Detroit and SPORTS clothing store. Last month, after a year-long inves­ tigation, Majekodunmi and more thanother cities. He’s Barry good and Behind the scenes, her business was “The method used in Global Sea is booming. 24 other people in Chicago, New York, today against the Bears, Detroit, Pakistan and Bangkok werebut one of hundreds” of different dis­ Over several years, tens of millions tribution methods, said a ranking FBI of dollars worth of heroin was fun-arrested and charged with federal the Lions’ Sanders, drug violations. Authorities also madeagent who oversees narcotics investi­ neled through the store and sold on gations. “The methods are limitless above, should break at the streets of Detroit and otherheroin seizures in Chicago with an and restricted only by creativity.” least one more NFL Midwestern cities. Far from being aestimated street value of $26 million. A closer look at the investigation,And what will happen after a major simple clothing store, the Women’s See HEROIN, Page 10 record.Back page. Affair Boutique was the distributioncalled Operation Global Sea, reveals CITY & STATE Plans are in the works for the Motor City Heads, Speedway on the State we win Little-known fact: Fairgrounds. Who will Detroit’s race there remains a Thanksgiving Day question.Page 3. parade has the largest collection of papier-mache E NT ER T AI NM E NT heads in the world. His mellow unyellowed So Henrietta Balzewski of by time,60 ’ s pop and Sterling Heights New Age star Donovan paints on 3 piece of history here. is back with a new Formally known as album. Page 25. America’s Thanksgiving INDEX Parade, the show Page 32 starts at 9:15 Classifieds Thursday and Columns Page Page 31 moves down Woodward from Crossword Page 34 Mack to Jefferson. Page 14 Editorials Journal photo Horoscope Page 28 by HUGH GRANNUM Susan Watson Page 3 PAGE 2 THE DETROIT SUNDAY JOURNAL NOVEMBER 24, 1996 Newly elected judge ready for Kevorkian trial By M ichael Betzold rience,” Voet said. authorities discovered that she was onto practice medicine without a license. Journal Staff Writer Miel has 33 years of experience asa videotape with Kevorkian. PoliceKevorkian’s license was removed in When Charles Miel ran for judge, an attorney. During his career, he’sconfiscated the tape during a raid on a1991. he never dreamed he’d have to deal been an assistant prosecutor, amotel where Kevorkian was meeting There is as yet no date for pretrial with Geoffrey Fieger and Jack defense attorney and, most recently, awith another client. hearings in the case. Miel takes over Kevorkian in his first weeks on thegeneral practice lawyer. He’s handled Voet convened the first grand juryas judge Jan. 1 and must spend four bench. real estate, family law, business law, in Ionia County’s history, and it hand­days in judges’ school the second week Few trials in Ionia attract national homicides and more, but nothinged down an indictment against of January. A murder trial in Mont­ media attention. None in memory canthat’s touched on the issue of assistedKevorkian and Good, who has termi­calm County is scheduled to begin in match the one Miel is scheduled to suicide. nal cancer. They are charged with fourlate January. Miel said it is likely preside over early next year, when Miel’s father, Homer Miel, was pros­ counts each: violating and conspiringmotion hearings in the Kevorkian Kevorkian and associate Janet Goodecutor in Montcalm County for 32to violate Michigan’s common lawtrial will take place sometime in face felony charges of assisting in theyears. Name recognition helped themaking assisted suicide a five-year January but the trial won’t begin until suicide of Ionia resident Rebecca Pea­ younger Miel, who practices infelony, and practicing and conspiringFebruary at the earliest. body. Stanton, the Montcalm County seat, “If I had my choice of a first trial, beat Ionia lawyer Larry McKaig in this wouldn’t be it,” said Miel. “But November. I’m not apprehensive about it. YouCharles Miel says the common reac­ community calendar just have to do your homework.” tion in the Ionia area when Miel, 58, won election in NovemberKevorkian’s involvement in Peabody’sLearn to dance Brest Road, at 7 p.m. Saturday. to the circuit court that covers Ioniadeath was revealed was one of shock. Richard has an inoperable brain Tony Award-winning choreogra­ and Montcalm counties in western “Everybody thought: Why would it tumor. His family needs money for pher George Faison and the cast of Michigan. He’s been assigned to the happen up here?’ ” Miel said. an experimental treatment they “Black Nativity” will present Kevorkian trial because the circuit’s Miel said that other than reading say is his only chance of survival. A “Dancing in Detroit: An Afternoon only other judge removed himselfnewspaper headlines and occasional $25 admission charge includes casi­ with George Faison” at 2 today at from the case after presiding over the articles about Kevorkian, he is unfa­ no chips. grand jury that indicted Kevorkianmiliar with the suicide doctor’s cru­ the Museum of African American and Good. sade and previous legal battles. History, 301 Frederick Douglass Free holiday dinner Ionia County Prosecutor Raymond“I haven’t paid any particular atten­ between John R and Brush in the The Flat Rock Family Cafe, Voet disagreed with the veteran tion to what’s been going on,” Miel Detroit Cultural Center. Members 27103 Telegraph between West judge’s decision to disqualify himself, said. “I guess I’ll find out soon.” of the audience can learn to per­ Road and Huron River Drive, again but said he had no recourse. Peabody’s death on Aug. 30 was form a simple dance routine. Call this year will host a free Thanks­ “I would prefer to have the case reported as the result of natural caus­ 313-833-9800. giving dinner for homeless and heard by a judge with 20 years expe- es, and her body was cremated. Then Holiday Home Tour needy families and for area charity and service volunteers on Monday The 1996 Palmer Woods Holiday and Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Home Tour of seven homes is Senior citizens also are invited for scheduled from 10 to 4:30 next a complete Thanksgiving dinner for Sunday in the area off West Seven U.A.W . LOCAL 155 $2.95. Owner Steve Stylianou has OURNAL Mile west of Woodward. Funds invited striking newspaper workers raised from the tour will help to eat free. No reservations will be The Detroit Sunday Journal is STEPHEN P.Y0KICH finance neighborhood beautifica­ accepted. Call 313-782-1850. published weekly by Detroit tion projects. Tickets are $12 in Sunday Journal Inc., 3100 E. LABOR CENTER advance and $15 on the day of the Jefferson, Detroit, M! 48207- tour. Call 313-892-7384. 5052. Second-class pending, To The S postage paid at Detroit, Mich, NewspaperWorkers Women’s art contest correction and additional offices. Subscrip­ The Focus on Women program at tion price is $15 for three Henry Ford Community College The Detroit Sunday Journal cor­ months (no refunds). Call (313) The membership officers & rects all errors of fact. If you find 567-9818, ext. 135 to subscribe, in Dearborn is holding a contest executive board support our an error, please call us at 313-567- or, for more information. for women artists. First prize is striking brothers $600. Works entered will be dis­ 9818. POSTMASTER: nd address and sisters in their played in the Sisson Gallery on The Detroit Sunday Journal on changes to The Detroit Sunday :UAW$t struggle for a fair campus from Feb. 19 to March 5. Oct. 20 incorrectly reported that Journal, 3100 E. Jefferson, Anthony Corrado was a convicted Detroit, Ml 48207-5052. settlement. Entry deadline is Dec. 9. Entry fee is $15. Call 313-845-9629. organized crime figure. He has never been convicted of a felony. A Benefit for Taylor boy recent federal grand jury indict­ A casino night to help raise ment in Detroit named him as a The Best Family Value in Town! funds for Richard Schulte, 12, of capo in the Detroit Mafia, as did CPI PHOTO NIGHi Taylor will be held at the Taylor the FBI director in a 1988 Senate FREE ROCKERS ACTI0NW0T0 tothe First 2000 fans Knights of Columbus Hall, 24900 hearing.