Appeals Court Upholds Corruption Conviction, 28-Year Sentence For Detroit's Ex-Mayor
Source: Associated Press
By ED WHITE Associated Press
August 14, 2015 — 1:55pm
DETROIT — An appeals court on Friday upheld the corruption conviction and 28-year prison sentence of former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, who was found guilty of two dozen crimes from tax evasion to bribery.
Kilpatrick's appeal centered on an alleged conflict among his trial attorneys, among other very technical reasons. But a three-judge panel at the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found no reason to upset the outcome, although his restitution will be revisited.
After months of trial, a jury in 2013 found that Kilpatrick rigged contracts, took bribes and committed other corrupt acts, often with contractor Bobby Ferguson, who got lucrative city work.
The government called it the "Kilpatrick enterprise," a scheme to shake down contractors and reward allies. Kilpatrick was doomed by his own text messages, which revealed efforts to fix deals for Ferguson, an excavator.
Read more: http://www.startribune.com/court-affirms-conviction-long-sentence-for-detroit-ex-mayor/321888891/
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