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By Phil Trexler
Beacon Journal staff writer
POSTED: 02:58 p.m. EDT, Apr 28, 2008
An Akron police detective who co-wrote a book about the Jeff Zack murder case is the subject of an internal investigation.
Detective Vince Felber was temporarily assigned to light desk duty this week while the police department investigation into his book proceeds for the next two to three weeks.
Perfect Beauty, authored by Felber and New York writer Keith Elliot Greenberg, was released this month by St. Martin's Press. The book chronicles the 2001 murder of Zack, a Stow businessman, and the subsequent arrests of his lover, Cynthia George, and her other lover, John Zaffino.
In the book, Felber, a 16-year veteran, offers an insider's look into the detective bureau's sometimes stormy investigation of what became one of the city's most provocative murder cases.
Along the way, Felber reveals interdepartmental disputes and criticisms of fellow detectives and supervisors of how the investigation was conducted.
He also writes about the department's lack of basic police equipment, such as modern tape recorders and cell phones for some detectives.
On Tuesday, Felber, 46, said he was told the internal investigation centers on his book and whether he violated department rules by what he wrote. It is unclear who initiated the investigation.
Police Chief Michael Matulavich did not return a call for comment.
''I wrote the most honest book I could. I made mistakes, too, and they're in there as well,'' Felber said. ''If I did anything wrong by writing the book, my defense is that it's the truth. And if telling the truth is something that gets me in trouble, then I guess I'm in trouble.''
In one chapter, Felber asserts that he and fellow detective Lt. David Whiddon were close to coaxing a confession from Zaffino when Capt. Elizabeth Daugherty interrupted by loudly knocking on the door of the interrogation room.
Zaffino then ended the interview and asked for his lawyer. (Zaffino was later convicted and is serving life in prison.)
''Felber stalked past (Daugherty) and walked down the hall, trying to come up with some legitimate reason why she'd intruded on the proceedings,'' the authors wrote.
''Every seasoned police officer understood that you never interrupted an interview. An interview is sacrosanct.''
Daugherty later told the detectives that she thought the interview was going poorly.
Daugherty is portrayed throughout the book almost as a nuisance to the investigation. She also is cast as the nemesis of a key witness: Christine Todaro, who delivered Zaffino, her ex-husband, as a suspect and agreed to record her meetings with him.
The book claims Daugherty at one point threatened to arrest Todaro for obstructing justice. Felber also writes that Daugherty accused him of having an affair with Todaro, and that she also threatened to have him charged with a crime in an unrelated case.
All the internal strife centering on Daugherty, Felber contends in the book, led Todaro to fear for her safety and reconsider helping detectives. The book also reveals that a man associated with the George family was following Todaro.
''Glaring at (Daugherty), (Felber) shouted, 'You're going to get her killed,'' the authors write.
Daugherty could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
She and Felber have a history of disputes. Daugherty investigated him for the internal affairs department after a female sergeant accused Felber in 1997 of sexual harassment.
In the book, Felber and Greenberg also reveal how former Maj. Paul Callahan had a one-on-one interview with Cynthia George the day after Zack was shot and killed outside BJ's Wholesale Club on Home Avenue.
Detectives had already learned of her affair with Zack when Callahan spoke with her inside her Granger Township home. He also knew that Zack was harassing Cynthia George and her husband, Tangier owner Ed George.
After a few questions, Callahan chose to end his talk with Cynthia George, often described in the book as an emotionally weak figure in the case.
''Callahan opted not to pursue the conversation, and the four detectives left a short time later,'' Felber writes.
The next day, Callahan called Ed George to arrange another interview. Instead, the book contends, the Georges retained an attorney barring police from speaking ''to the man detectives viewed as the number-one suspect.''
Ed George was never charged. His wife was convicted of complicity to murder and was sentenced to life in prison. An appeals court later wiped out the conviction for lack of evidence.
Whiddon, who headed the investigation with Felber and worked the case for about six years, said on Tuesday that he ''did not like the book'' based on his personal skimming of a manuscript several months ago.
He said he has not read the published version, but he has been told he would be questioned by internal investigators about its contents.
He disputed Felber's claim that Daugherty threatened to arrest Todaro, but said her interruption of the Zaffino interview ''was a bad move.''
He declined to expound on the book's overall treatment of the captain or Felber's other criticisms of the department.
''In all fairness to Vince, I haven't read the whole thing. But from what I did read, I just wasn't real cool with it,'' Whiddon said. ''I didn't agree with every decision (Daugherty) made. I mean, who does? But you still respect them.''
Paul Hlynsky, president of the local Fraternal Order of Police, said the union is watching the internal investigation closely and will appeal any punishment lodged against Felber, including a transfer out of the detective bureau.
He said the temporary assignment is permitted under the union contract.
''Our position is that there should not even be an investigation,'' Hlynsky said. ''No department rules were violated. He's writing about a (homicide) case that is closed. Basically, this is a First Amendment issue.''
Phil Trexler can be reached at 330-996-3717 or ptrexler@thebeaconjournal.com.
An Akron police detective who co-wrote a book about the Jeff Zack murder case is the subject of an internal investigation.
Detective Vince Felber was temporarily assigned to light desk duty this week while the police department investigation into his book proceeds for the next two to three weeks.
Perfect Beauty, authored by Felber and New York writer Keith Elliot Greenberg, was released this month by St. Martin's Press. The book chronicles the 2001 murder of Zack, a Stow businessman, and the subsequent arrests of his lover, Cynthia George, and her other lover, John Zaffino.
In the book, Felber, a 16-year veteran, offers an insider's look into the detective bureau's sometimes stormy investigation of what became one of the city's most provocative murder cases.
Along the way, Felber reveals interdepartmental disputes and criticisms of fellow detectives and supervisors of how the investigation was conducted.
He also writes about the department's lack of basic police equipment, such as modern tape recorders and cell phones for some detectives.
On Tuesday, Felber, 46, said he was told the internal investigation centers on his book and whether he violated department rules by what he wrote. It is unclear who initiated the investigation.
Police Chief Michael Matulavich did not return a call for comment.
''I wrote the most honest book I could. I made mistakes, too, and they're in there as well,'' Felber said. ''If I did anything wrong by writing the book, my defense is that it's the truth. And if telling the truth is something that gets me in trouble, then I guess I'm in trouble.''
In one chapter, Felber asserts that he and fellow detective Lt. David Whiddon were close to coaxing a confession from Zaffino when Capt. Elizabeth Daugherty interrupted by loudly knocking on the door of the interrogation room.
Zaffino then ended the interview and asked for his lawyer. (Zaffino was later convicted and is serving life in prison.)
''Felber stalked past (Daugherty) and walked down the hall, trying to come up with some legitimate reason why she'd intruded on the proceedings,'' the authors wrote.
''Every seasoned police officer understood that you never interrupted an interview. An interview is sacrosanct.''
Daugherty later told the detectives that she thought the interview was going poorly.
Daugherty is portrayed throughout the book almost as a nuisance to the investigation. She also is cast as the nemesis of a key witness: Christine Todaro, who delivered Zaffino, her ex-husband, as a suspect and agreed to record her meetings with him.
The book claims Daugherty at one point threatened to arrest Todaro for obstructing justice. Felber also writes that Daugherty accused him of having an affair with Todaro, and that she also threatened to have him charged with a crime in an unrelated case.
All the internal strife centering on Daugherty, Felber contends in the book, led Todaro to fear for her safety and reconsider helping detectives. The book also reveals that a man associated with the George family was following Todaro.
''Glaring at (Daugherty), (Felber) shouted, 'You're going to get her killed,'' the authors write.
Daugherty could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
She and Felber have a history of disputes. Daugherty investigated him for the internal affairs department after a female sergeant accused Felber in 1997 of sexual harassment.
In the book, Felber and Greenberg also reveal how former Maj. Paul Callahan had a one-on-one interview with Cynthia George the day after Zack was shot and killed outside BJ's Wholesale Club on Home Avenue.
Detectives had already learned of her affair with Zack when Callahan spoke with her inside her Granger Township home. He also knew that Zack was harassing Cynthia George and her husband, Tangier owner Ed George.
After a few questions, Callahan chose to end his talk with Cynthia George, often described in the book as an emotionally weak figure in the case.
''Callahan opted not to pursue the conversation, and the four detectives left a short time later,'' Felber writes.
The next day, Callahan called Ed George to arrange another interview. Instead, the book contends, the Georges retained an attorney barring police from speaking ''to the man detectives viewed as the number-one suspect.''
Ed George was never charged. His wife was convicted of complicity to murder and was sentenced to life in prison. An appeals court later wiped out the conviction for lack of evidence.
Whiddon, who headed the investigation with Felber and worked the case for about six years, said on Tuesday that he ''did not like the book'' based on his personal skimming of a manuscript several months ago.
He said he has not read the published version, but he has been told he would be questioned by internal investigators about its contents.
He disputed Felber's claim that Daugherty threatened to arrest Todaro, but said her interruption of the Zaffino interview ''was a bad move.''
He declined to expound on the book's overall treatment of the captain or Felber's other criticisms of the department.
''In all fairness to Vince, I haven't read the whole thing. But from what I did read, I just wasn't real cool with it,'' Whiddon said. ''I didn't agree with every decision (Daugherty) made. I mean, who does? But you still respect them.''
Paul Hlynsky, president of the local Fraternal Order of Police, said the union is watching the internal investigation closely and will appeal any punishment lodged against Felber, including a transfer out of the detective bureau.
He said the temporary assignment is permitted under the union contract.
''Our position is that there should not even be an investigation,'' Hlynsky said. ''No department rules were violated. He's writing about a (homicide) case that is closed. Basically, this is a First Amendment issue.''
Phil Trexler can be reached at 330-996-3717 or ptrexler@thebeaconjournal.com.
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