It sounded like a movie or the latest episode of Law and Order, but the courtroom scene was real life drama. It was the sentencing of Detroit's Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick.
Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick resigned from office last year after pleading guilty to felony charges in a perjury case and no contest in an assault case. In the present case, defendant Kilpatrick violated the terms of his probation by failing to pay $79,011 by Feb. 19, 2010, which included defendant specifically failing to provide complete accounting of his family finances, failing to surrender his tax refunds, failing to disclose gifts and benefits, improperly accepting dollars from political funds.
The current drama revolves around the case addressing Kilpatrick violating the terms of his probation.
An audible gasp erupted in the courtroom as Judge David Groner sentenced Kilpatrick to 18 months to five years in state prison for probation violation.
The judge says Kilpatrick has shown a lack of candor, remorse, humility and forthrightness. He indicated he was about to sentence him to more than 17 months. Judge Groner reminded Kilpatrick of the crimes he had committed. He lied under oath about his affair with his chief of staff, about the firing of a deputy chief, authorized a secret settlement with $8.4 million in taxpayer money and then violated his probation.
As Kilpatrick remained expressionless, Judge Groner told him that at every turn he had tried to thwart attempts to figure out how much money he had to pay restitution to the City of Detroit.
Judge Groner asked Kilpatrick to stand with his lawyers while he sentences him.
'I want to go home,' Kilpatrick says
"I respectfully humbly ask you, with everything that's in me, to be free," Kilpatrick pleaded.
"For the first time in my life I'm a great husband. I'm a new guy. And I know there's a lot of people who don't accept that," Kilpatrick stated.
Your testimony in this courtroom amounted to perjury when you stated, "I don't know if my wife works. I don't know the amount of rent. I don't know who pays the bills."
... Obviously, there has been no rehabilitation. You have not changed. ... Put your hands behind your back, sir. ...
What a waste of talent and potential. Shame on you Kwame Kilpatrick!
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