Anchor's Away

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On the morning of May 6, 1971, two pool players at the 4th Street Anchor broke off their game, jumped over the bar and announced, “This is a raid!” Thus began the most cockeyed fight in Justice Department history. Hundreds of Detroit Police and FBI Agents assembled that morning at Cobo Hall to collect and indict 150 civilians and 16 Police Officers. Leo and Chickie Sherman were accused by the Feds of running a $40,000 a day gambling ring. Access to the basement bar was aided by the Detroit News, which owned the building, in exchange for scooping the Detroit Free Press. After 3 years of court battles, the entire case was thrown out because the Nixon Justice Department had forged wiretap authorizations. Lead FBI Attorney David Cook later became friends with Leo, and in 1996 held his retirement party at the Fort Street Anchor. He said, “If I knew then what I know now, there never would have been a raid.”