Two men who were exonerated of murder implored Detroit police on Thursday to investigate a former homicide detective who is accused of two decades of misconduct that led to false confessions and wrongful imprisonment.
Mark Craighead, who spent more than seven years in prison after falsely confessing to murder in June 2000, alleges retired Detective Barbara Simon engaged in a pattern of criminal wrongdoing by committing perjury, illegally detaining suspects for long periods without a warrant, and assaulting and threatening witnesses.
Simon was featured in “The Closer,” a two-part Metro Times series that exposed her aggressive and illegal tactics that led to false confessions and wrongful imprisonment. In the 1990s and early 2000s, Simon was known as “the closer” because of her knack for gaining confessions and witness statements. Her method of confining young Black men to small rooms at police headquarters for hours without a warrant, making false promises, and lying about evidence that didn’t exist led to the false imprisonment of at least five men.
“We missed out on so much time with our families, and she’s still walking the streets and collecting a pension. She’s still free,” Craighead said in a news conference outside Detroit Public Safety Headquarters. “We’re demanding accountability. We want her arrested.”
Craighead was joined by former Detroit Police Commissioner Reginald Crawford and Lamarr Monson, who spent 20 years in prison for a murder he didn’t commit. Monson blames Simon for bungling the investigation in 1996.
Crawford said everyone who was complicit in the wrongful convictions needs to pay a price.
“They need to say to the world and to the media, ‘These are the people responsible for the wrongful convictions. They will be held accountable,’” Crawford said.
Craighead filed a criminal complaint against Simon with the Detroit Police Department on Sept. 4, and DPD said it would investigate.
Craighead said he’s committed to freeing innocent people who are still in prison because of Simon.
“They’ll be in prison for the rest of their lives unless we do something about it,” Craighhead said.
On Aug. 28, the exonerees and families of prisoners rallied outside the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, calling for an independent and extensive review of all of Simon’s cases. Earlier this month, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said she plans to expand a unit dedicated to exonerating innocent people by hiring an attorney to review Simon’s cases.
Craighead said it shouldn’t have taken so long for Simon to come under scrutiny.
“Barbara Simon should have been investigated a long time ago,” Craighead said. “They knew what she was doing.”
