“The anguish of thousands of black fathers for years who watched their sons being railroaded into jail.”
Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick’s father Bernard Kilpatrick’s response when asked how he felt seeing his son sentenced to serve 120 days in the Wayne County Jail for perjuring himself under oath about the firings of two police officers, and his affair with chief of staff Christine Beatty. [photo credit - Richard Lee\Detroit Free Press]
This explains SO much…
Former Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick has been sentenced to serve 120 days in the Wayne County Jail beginning today. He’s also been ordered to sign away his license to practice law, and to pay restitution to the city from various political funds.
This is so anti-climactic for me. Funny how in the short time since Kwame resigned from office he’s gone from being a larger-than-life celebrity to nothing more than an afterthought here in Detroit.
Kwame goes to jail today, and it’s about d*mn time.
Looks like Kwame tried to get over on Detroit taxpayers - AGAIN. According to the Detroit Free Press, Kwame and a couple buddies had lunch at the exclusive Detroit Club, which gives an honorary membership to Detroit’s mayor. Come time to pay the bill - Kwame signs the receipt, and tells the waiter ‘charge it to the city’. Wouldn’t be a problem, except Kwame’s membership was cancelled when he resigned from office.
Did he REALLY think the waiter didn’t know he was no longer mayor? Real nice, Kwame.
And since we’re on the subject - as Christine Beatty is awaiting trial - (and reportedly on her daughter’s birthday) - more text messages were released on Thursday. Wonder if ’Freaky Chris’ still wants to have text with a man who can’t even pay for lunch.
This is the $1,595,000.00, 5 bedroom, 4 full baths, 2 half-bath Grosse Pointe Shores mansion Kwame Kilpatrick was rumored to be purchasing this week. The rumor was QUICKLY dispelled by the real estate agent because Grosse Pointe don’t even play that.
I’m sure it’s not a Black/White issue - Kwame is just not rich enough to live in the Pointes - not legally rich enough, anyway. Songstress Anita Baker has lived in Grosse Pointe since forever, and no one has complained. Of course, she didn’t siphon her money off of honest taxpayers. She earned it the hard way - by working.
In other Kwame news - a moving van was spotted at the Manoogian Mansion, and apparently followed to a storage unit somewhere in Oakland County (Detroit is in Wayne County). Looks like the exodus has begun…
Kwame Kilpatrick showed his true strengths tonight by giving a very classy, very polished exit speech - speaking on his childhood mayoral dreams, and the duties of a public servant.
In this speech he gives us a glimpse of the potential Detroiters once saw in our new, young mayor. He was honest about his mistakes, apologetic, and encouraging to the citizens of Detroit in our efforts to move forward. THIS is the Kwame Kilpatrick I’ll miss - a charming, charismatic leader. Kwame was brilliant! …until he attacked Gov. Granholm.
But he recovers quickly, offers his hand to the incoming mayor - Kenneth Cockrel, Jr., and touches on his many accomplishments during his mayoral tenure.
Nice job, Kwame. I just wish this speech could be your legacy.
Addressing the court at his plea hearing this morning:
“I lied under oath in the case of Gary Brown and Harold Nelthrope versus the city of Detroit … I did so with the intent to mislead the court and jury, to impede and obstruct the disposition of justice.”
Words Kwame swore he’d never say. Words Detroit citizens knew were true, but never expected to hear - an admission of guilt. And the truth.
Kwame Kilpatrick peads guilty to 2 counts of obstruction of justice, will make $1million restitution to the city, get 5 years probation - the first 120 days to be served in Wayne County Jail. He will lose his law license, and can’t run for office for 5 years. He also must leave office in the next two weeks.
picture source: Detroit Free Press
UPDATE from News 4: Sources told Local 4, just past 9:00pm on Wednesday, the mayor and his legal team agreed to a deal, which includes the following: Immediate resignation; plead guilty to 2 felonies; pay restitution of $1 million; spend 4 months in jail; and cannot run for public office for 5 years. The mayir will enter a guilty plea this morning at 9:00.
Sources told Local 4 the mayor is expected in court at 9 a.m. Thursday in front of Wayne County Circuit Court Judge David Groner, where he will reportedly go on record and accept this deal.
Local media outlets are reporting that Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick will enter a guilty plea tomorrow morning at 9:00. and once convicted of a felony, the mayor can be removed from office. The plea agreement reportedly includes 4 months jail time.
I predicted Kwame would be out of office by Friday - looks like I was right. But things could change…
UPDATE: The MI Appeals Court has ruled that the removal hearing for Kwame Kilpatrick can begin tomorrow morning, as scheduled.
With Governor Jennifer Granholm scheduled to hold a hearing tomorrow to dismiss Mayor Kilpatrick from office, the clocking is ticking on Kwame’s attempts to get a plea deal. His latest offer - to make a six-figure restitution to the city, serve 200 hours of community service, lose his law license, and not seek election for two years - was rejected by Wayne County prosecutor Kym Worthy, who countered today saying she would NOT agree to a plea deal that didn’t include AT LEAST six months jail time for Kwame. I’m sure Kwame is now wishing he’d taken the initial offer of 30 - 90 days in jail.
The lawyers just left the Michigan Appeals Court hearing, which was called by the defense in an attempt to stop Gov. Granholm’s hearing. It didn’t go well for Team Kwame. His lawyer was late, his arguments were weak, and he just generally appeared to piss of the judges.
No decision was made by the Appeals Court - they told Kwame’s lawyer they would make an announcement once their decision was made. So we wait.
My prediction: jail time or no - The Honorable Mayor Kwame Malik Kilpatrick will be the dishonored former mayor and accused felon Kwame Malik Kilpatrick by end-of-day Friday - all bought and paid for on the city’s dime - literally. Good work, Kwame!
But what about Christine?
Kwame was released from jail this morning on $50,000 cash bond, and a tether - then was promptly charged with one count each of assaulting an officer, and obstructing a police officer in the furtherance of their duties.
He appears to be a little less amused this time. I guess a night in jail can do that to you.
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