Inquiry focuses on possible tampering in Baltimore KKK complaint

BALTIMORE (Map, News) - The hard drive of a computer on which a black city police officer alleges a white superior forced him to view KKK Web sites had been removed before investigators seized the computer, sources said.

Several homicide detectives claimed to have witnessed the hard drive being removed from the computer of James Hagin, the lieutenant accused in the complaint lodged by Sgt. Kelvin Sewell, sources familiar with the investigation said.

Witnesses said a detective was seen taking apart Hagin’s computer the evening before members of the department’s technology unit seized it, according to the sources.

The detective, who has since been transferred out of homicide, said he was cleaning the computer, sources said. Investigators seized the computer March 26, and state police plan to examine its hard drive.

Since the complaint was filed, three additional officers — a sergeant and a two detectives — have been transferred out of the city’s homicide division. Hagin has been transferred to the city’s Northern District.

Police spokesman Sterling Clifford said he could not comment on the internal investigation. Clifford said Hagin asked to be moved to the Northern District until the investigation is complete, but would not confirm the transfers of three others from homicide.

Sewell is a 20-year veteran of the force who works as a supervisor and investigator in the city’s homicide division. He could not be reached for comment. On March 5, Sewell filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, claiming he was forced to view materials relating to a Klan rally held near his Cecil County home.

“He pulled up approximately 25-30 Web sites of the KKK,” Sewell wrote in the complaint. “This activity went on for over one hour before I was able to leave his office.”

According to Sewell’s complaint, Hagin was attempting to convince him that his neighbors were possible Klansmen, but Sewell had no interest in viewing the information.

The charges drew skepticism from Mayor Sheila Dixon, who has said they were “taken out of context.”

But Marvin “Doc” Cheatham, president of the Baltimore branch of the NAACP, said the charges warranted an outside investigation.

Hagin could not be reached for comment.

sjanis@baltimoreexaminer.com

lbroadwater@baltimoreexaminer.com

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