j_da_que
03-24-2008, 07:33 PM
Kilpatrick, Beatty Charged With 12 Counts, Including Perjury
POSTED: 10:58 am EDT March 24, 2008
UPDATED: 11:28 am EDT March 24, 2008
DETROIT -- Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy is charging Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and his former top aide, Christine Beatty, with 12 counts of crimes in the text-messaging scandal, including perjury, conspiracy to obstruct justice and willful misconduct in office.
Meanwhile, City Council will continue to investigate the mayor's conduct in the text messaging scandal surrounding his administration regardless of what Wayne County's prosecutor announces Monday, council member Kwame Kenyatta told Local 4 on Sunday during an appearance on "Flashpoint" with Devin Scillian.
Kenyatta, whose resolution calling on the mayor to resign was approved by City Council last week, told Scillian that there are two processes at work.
"One political and one legal," Kenyatta said. "The legal one is dealing with a crime that was committed based upon the law. The political one dealing with 'was there a violation of the City Charter or the Constitution,' in one's conduct in office. And I believe there was."
Meanwhile, Kilpatrick chose to spend time with his family on Sunday, rather than attend church, a day before Wayne County's prosecutor is scheduled to announce whether the mayor will face charges.
Also on Monday, two Detroit city employees will be in court, accused of not cooperating with the prosecutor's investigation into the mayor.
Detroit's lawyer John Johnson Jr. and Patricia Peoples, deputy director of human resources, face contempt-of-court charges. Peoples is also Kilpatrick's cousin.
Meanwhile, Worthy told The Associated Press that she does not consider the Detroit mayor's text-messaging scandal the toughest assignment she's had in office.
Worthy, who is black, said prosecuting two white police officers in the 1992 beating death of a black Detroit motorist was her largest case. She said the timing of the case gave people a newfound belief in the criminal justice system.
The assistant prosecutor won second-degree murder convictions against the officers.
Worthy has been looking into claims that Kilpatrick and one-time Chief of Staff Christine Beatty lied under oath during a whistle-blowers' trial last summer when they denied having a romantic relationship in 2002 and 2003.
While legal experts believe both the mayor and Beatty could face perjury charges, there is also speculation Worthy could charge the mayor with official misconduct, obstruction of justice if there was evidence of a secret agreement to conceal perjury or another crime, and embezzlement if there was evidence Kilpatrick used city funds to pay for hotel rooms or other personal expenses associated with the alleged affair with Beatty.
The Detroit Free Press in January reported excerpts of text messages on Beatty's city-issued pager that contradict their testimony.
A perjury conviction for lying under oath could bring up to 15 years imprisonment and force Kilpatrick to relinquish his hold on the mayor's office.
On Tuesday, the Detroit City Council approved a nonbinding resolution asking Kilpatrick to resign.
The mayor repeatedly has said he won't step down and says he is pushing on with city audits, budget and other business issues.
"I'm more focused now than I've ever been in this job," Kilpatrick told reporters following Tuesday's council vote. "I think I've grown up a lot in this process, and I think we're moving forward."
Kilpatrick also said he will continue to work with the council despite the resolution.
Some council members have "reached out" by voicemail on continuing to work together on city business, he said.
Copyright 2008 by ClickOnDetroit.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
POSTED: 10:58 am EDT March 24, 2008
UPDATED: 11:28 am EDT March 24, 2008
DETROIT -- Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy is charging Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and his former top aide, Christine Beatty, with 12 counts of crimes in the text-messaging scandal, including perjury, conspiracy to obstruct justice and willful misconduct in office.
Meanwhile, City Council will continue to investigate the mayor's conduct in the text messaging scandal surrounding his administration regardless of what Wayne County's prosecutor announces Monday, council member Kwame Kenyatta told Local 4 on Sunday during an appearance on "Flashpoint" with Devin Scillian.
Kenyatta, whose resolution calling on the mayor to resign was approved by City Council last week, told Scillian that there are two processes at work.
"One political and one legal," Kenyatta said. "The legal one is dealing with a crime that was committed based upon the law. The political one dealing with 'was there a violation of the City Charter or the Constitution,' in one's conduct in office. And I believe there was."
Meanwhile, Kilpatrick chose to spend time with his family on Sunday, rather than attend church, a day before Wayne County's prosecutor is scheduled to announce whether the mayor will face charges.
Also on Monday, two Detroit city employees will be in court, accused of not cooperating with the prosecutor's investigation into the mayor.
Detroit's lawyer John Johnson Jr. and Patricia Peoples, deputy director of human resources, face contempt-of-court charges. Peoples is also Kilpatrick's cousin.
Meanwhile, Worthy told The Associated Press that she does not consider the Detroit mayor's text-messaging scandal the toughest assignment she's had in office.
Worthy, who is black, said prosecuting two white police officers in the 1992 beating death of a black Detroit motorist was her largest case. She said the timing of the case gave people a newfound belief in the criminal justice system.
The assistant prosecutor won second-degree murder convictions against the officers.
Worthy has been looking into claims that Kilpatrick and one-time Chief of Staff Christine Beatty lied under oath during a whistle-blowers' trial last summer when they denied having a romantic relationship in 2002 and 2003.
While legal experts believe both the mayor and Beatty could face perjury charges, there is also speculation Worthy could charge the mayor with official misconduct, obstruction of justice if there was evidence of a secret agreement to conceal perjury or another crime, and embezzlement if there was evidence Kilpatrick used city funds to pay for hotel rooms or other personal expenses associated with the alleged affair with Beatty.
The Detroit Free Press in January reported excerpts of text messages on Beatty's city-issued pager that contradict their testimony.
A perjury conviction for lying under oath could bring up to 15 years imprisonment and force Kilpatrick to relinquish his hold on the mayor's office.
On Tuesday, the Detroit City Council approved a nonbinding resolution asking Kilpatrick to resign.
The mayor repeatedly has said he won't step down and says he is pushing on with city audits, budget and other business issues.
"I'm more focused now than I've ever been in this job," Kilpatrick told reporters following Tuesday's council vote. "I think I've grown up a lot in this process, and I think we're moving forward."
Kilpatrick also said he will continue to work with the council despite the resolution.
Some council members have "reached out" by voicemail on continuing to work together on city business, he said.
Copyright 2008 by ClickOnDetroit.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.