The former Mayor of Detroit, Kwame Kilpatrick, has violated the terms of his probation. Part of his probation was that he was required to make restitution payments from earlier court cases, and he failed to make sufficient payments. The sentence for violating his parole was five years, of which he must serve at least eighteen months. His time in and out of office was mired in controversy.
Kwame Kilpatrick given five years
In 2008, Kwame Kilpatrick pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice, and he served 99 days in jail. Part of his sentence was to pay the City of Detroit $1 million. Judge David Groner issued an arrest warrant for him after he failed to make sufficient payments on time. Kilpatrick appeared to have hidden assets in his financial statements, like real estate and several Cadillac Escalades. He said he was oblivious as to who had paid for them, according to the New York Times. A hefty personal loan for an attorney would do him no good, apparently.
The mayor’s downfall
The scandal that put Kwame Kilpatrick in jail would have made Rod Blagojevich proud. First, he used city-owned equipment to send graphic, personal text messages Christine Beatty, his chief of staff, and the two were having an extramarital affair. An investigation started in 2007 into the affair, and he fired two police officers so they wouldn’t uncover it. He was sued, and in the course of the trial committed perjury. He reached an $ 8.4 million and was then indicted on eight felony counts including perjury and obstruction of justice. He was forced to abdicate as mayor, served 99 days, and had to make $ 1 million in restitution to the City of Detroit.
At large in the nation violating his probation
The Kwame Kilpatrick latest news is that he failed to make those payments. Judge Groner was not convinced Kilpatrick had made sufficient effort to repay those obligations. His pleas for mercy fell on deaf ears. Kilpatrick is instead going to prison for at least 18 months.
Additional information at these websites
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/26/us/26detroit.html?hp
