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The author is senior editor of the Michigan Chronicle and a former Detroit Free Press reporter. His post responds to the Dec. 15 firing of Stephen Henderson as managing director of opinion and commentary for inappropriate behavior with two female Freep colleagues. This is reposted from Facebook with permission and slight editing.
Keith Owens (left) respects his friend Stephen Henderson "as a colleague and as a remarkable journalist."
By Keith Owens
I have chosen not to speak out about the Stephen Henderson story until now because, for one, it's very personal to me. This is also why I am choosing to write this on my personal Facebook page.
This is my opinion and mine alone.
Stephen and I have been good friends and colleagues for more than 20 years.
I value him greatly as a friend and respect him immensely as a colleague and as a remarkable journalist. That being said, I would not have been willing to dismiss any credible accusations made against him just because he was my friend. I'm well aware that you don't always know someone as well as you think you do.
But the big problem here is that no accusations were ever made against Stephen by any woman anywhere. No charges. Nothing. Not from any woman at the Detroit Free Press, and not from any woman at WDET. I believe DPTV is conducting its own investigation so we'll see what happens.
As for the Free Press, Stephen has indicated he may be considering legal action and I am not surprised. How do you fire someone for sexually inappropriate behavior when no one ever came forward and made such charges?
This doesn't mean Stephen has never said or done something that he shouldn't have in this regard, but if no one has even filed a complaint or even said they are willing to do so, then what is this about?
In today's climate, women are finally being listened to like never before, and thank God for that. Which means that many are now coming forward who otherwise never would have done so. So why isn't anyone coming forward to accuse Stephen?
Unfair Comparison
I have read several posts from folks, some of whom I consider friends, who have gleefully compared what happened to Stephen to what happened to Congressman John Conyers, especially since Stephen came out against Conyers early and said he should step down.
But any comparison between Stephen Henderson's situation and that of John Conyers is ridiculous.
In Conyers' case, women actually came out publicly and made accusations, some in violation of signed confidentiality agreements. We can argue all day about whether they're lying, what motivated them, etc. But they are real women who came forward and made real complaints.
Not one woman -- at least so far and not prior to Stephen being fired -- has ever come out and accused him of sexual misconduct, harassment or anything else.
Big difference.
If you did not hear him on "Detroit Today," I strongly suggest going here at WDET and listening to the first 30 minutes. The station handles this situation in an exemplary way.
I spoke to Stephen last week and I believe he has a lawsuit he can file against the Freep. He said as much Monday morning and I hope he follows through.
In brief, this began when Rev. W.J. Rideout held a press conference two weeks ago claiming he knew of three journalists accused of sexual misconduct, including at the Freep.
Rev. Rideout was later fired from his radio show on 910 AM Superstation because his accusations were proven false and were made without any evidence.
From WDET website
Still, Stephen said he went to his bosses with his side, producing two incidents involving two different staff women that he thought should be investigated. In both instances these were events that transpired socially away from the Freep.
No Complaints
Keep in mind that no one ever filed any complaint against Stephen about anything. Not sexual harassment or anything else. Not before or since these allegations.
The two women were apparently contacted by the Freep following their discussions with Stephen. The women corroborated Stephen's account, but still said they had no desire to file any complaint.
Nevertheless, the Freep felt that the behavior -- whatever it was -- was "nappropriate" and not up to their standards, so it fired Stephen on the spot.
WDET decided not to fire Stephen after conducting an investigation of their own staff -- not only about Stephen but about any incidents of sexual misconduct whatsoever.
People were given the opportunity to make their accusations anonymously or however else through various channels. They did this twice --once before the allegations were made, and once afterward.
In both instances, Stephen was never identified or called out by anyone as having ever treated anyone inappropriately, sexually or otherwise.
When WDET contacted the Freep to try and get more clarity to help the station make its decision, the Freep declined to respond.
This raises a lot more questions about the Free Press and how the paper handles these kinds of issues than it does about Stephen Henderson.
