Fired Free Press Editor Considering Legal Action

DETROIT, MI – Stephen Henderson, who was fired from the Detroit Free Press on Friday for inappropriate behavior with female colleagues, told listeners of his radio show on Monday that he is "exploring" legal action. Henderson, though, did not deny the behavior and apologized to the women involved.

The Free Press announced Henderson's termination on Friday, saying the decision was made after an internal investigation uncovered credible allegations that his behavior had been "inconsistent with company values and standards." He later told the Detroit News that he was stunned by his termination.

On Monday, during his radio show, Henderson provided more details about his termination and the circumstances behind it. Henderson's comments on WDET-FM were posted to the station's web site.

In the segment, Henderson said incident with two women, neither of whom filed complaints against him, happened outside of the workplace. One, involved a sexual conversation with co-worker, and the other with an employee of another department who rejected his advances.

"It was bad judgment, on my part, to have engaged in either situation," he said. "As a senior leader at the Free Press, I should have acted more responsibly. I also want to apologize to Free Press readers, to our listeners here at WDET, and to viewers of Detroit Public Television."

Henderson said that neither of the women involved intend to file a complaint or take any action against him.

Meantime, WDET General Manager Michelle Srbinovich also made a statement, saying at this time the station does not believe Henderson' behavior merits termination with the station. Neither the radio station nor its parent, Wayne State University, have received any complaints against Henderson.

"Based on the information currently available, WDET did not see cause to terminate Stephen Henderson’s contract at this time and we made the decision to have him return to our airwaves as the host of Detroit Today on Monday, Dec 18," Srbinovich said in the statement.

Henderson, 47, won the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for commentary and the 2014 National Association of Black Journalists' Journalist of the Year Award. The Pulitzer award honored a series of columns "on the financial crisis facing his hometown, written with passion and a stirring sense of place, sparing no one in their critique."

Photo: Stephen Henderson, right, of the Detroit Free Press, winner of the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Commentary, poses for a photo with Columbia University President Lee Bollinger during the award's ceremony at Columbia University's Low Library, Wednesday, May 28, 2014, in New York. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow)