Tagged: Kwame Kilpatrick

I wonder if there will be any Kwame Kilpatrick stories in 2014.

For those keeping an eye on this story... the trial is wrapping up this week.

DETROIT (AP) - Kwame Kilpatrick's wife and children have joined him for closing arguments in the former Detroit mayor's corruption trial.

On his Facebook page, Kilpatrick says he's "blessed" to have his "squad" in the courtroom. He says Tuesday is a "victory day."

Kilpatrick's attorney, James Thomas, is speaking to jurors.  Kilpatrick, his father Bernard and city contractor Bobby Ferguson are charged with conspiring to rake in cash through rigged contracts, bribes and other criminal acts.

Prosecutors gave their closing argument Monday, describing Detroit city hall as a "private profit machine" with Kwame Kilpatrick at the wheel.

The jury will also hear from Bernard Kilpatrick's attorney Tuesday. The last arguments from Ferguson's lawyer will be heard Thursday.

Arrests down as violent crimes rise in Detroit

Even though violent crime is up in Detroit, less people are getting arrested, the Detroit News reports.

"The fourth quarter of 2012 saw significantly fewer arrests in most precincts and districts compared with previous years — and the largest declines were in some of the city's most crime-ridden areas. . . Some inside the Detroit Police Department blame low officer morale."

Kilpatrick trial to wrap up today

"Courtroom proceedings in ex-Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick’s federal corruption case should wrap up today. Prosecutors spent months making a painstaking case against Kwame Kilpatrick, his father Bernard, and longtime friend and city contractor Bobby Ferguson. The government says the men ran Detroit city government like a criminal enterprise for years. They all face a number of federal charges, including conspiracy and extortion," Sarah Cwiek reports.
 

Lansing police gun buyback collects 122 firearms

"Lansing police say their latest gun buyback program has brought in 122 firearms. The Lansing State Journal reports that people turned in 73 handguns, 47 long guns and two assault or military style guns," The Associated Press Reports.

DETROIT (AP) - A judge has refused to dismiss corruption charges against former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, clearing a path for the trial's closing arguments Monday.

A request for acquittal before jury deliberations is a standard move in a criminal case but rarely granted. Federal Judge Nancy Edmunds kept the government's case intact Friday, although prosecutors on their own trimmed some of the many charges.

In this week in Michigan politics, Rina Miller and Jack Lessenberry discuss Governor Rick Snyder’s upcoming budget address, the final days of the Kwame Kilpatrick trial, and how 200 administrators in Grand Rapids Public Schools got pink slipped.

Federal Judge Nancy Edmunds stated that Wednesday will be the final day of testimony in the corruption trial of former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, his father, and city contractor Bobby Ferguson.

This will mark the end of a week of  testimony for the defense after 63 days of arguments and testimony led by prosecutors, since the trial began in September.

The AP reports that jurors were sent  home early Tuesday after the defense had no witnesses to call to the stand because of illness and other conflicts.

The three face a range of charges including extortion, bribery, racketeering, and fraud  while Kilpatrick was mayor of Detroit.

Kilpatrick's defense lawyers have argued that he received money through monetary gifts and donations made by friends and mayoral staff.

Closing arguments are planned for Monday.  If convicted, they could face up to 20 years in prison.

Good crowds at this years' Detroit auto show

Another North American International Auto Show has wrapped up, and ticket sales were up yet again. The show drew more than 795,000 people, the best crowd since 2004 according to Chevy dealer and NAIAS committee member Scott LaRiche.

"We have seen an actual spring board over the last few years, and we're slowly climbing up there towards that 800,000 mark, and realistically,if you look at it from the standpoint of the media that attended, over 5,500 media, we did break the 800,000 mark," said LaRiche.

Now the car companies are on to the Chicago for that cities auto show.

Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's trial continues after weekend jail stay

The Kilpatrick corruption trial continues after the former Detroit mayor had to spend the weekend in jail on a separate matter. From the Associated Press:

Former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick has been released after spending the weekend in prison for violating parole in a 2008 conviction that booted him from office.

The Michigan Corrections Department says Kilpatrick violated parole by not disclosing all financial transactions last fall. He still owes Detroit $855,000 in restitution and must report details about his income and expenses.

Kilpatrick will go from jail to federal court where the corruption case against him and several of his associates has been going on since September.
  Toyota is King again
  The Detroit News says so:
  Now it's official: Toyota is once again the world's top automaker. 

Toyota Motor Corp. released its tally for global vehicle sales for last year Monday at a record 9.748 million vehicles — a bigger number than the estimate it gave last month of about 9.7 million vehicles.It was already clear Toyota had dethroned General Motors Co. as the Detroit-based automaker fell short, selling 9.29 million vehicles.

 GM first lost their top-selling title to Toyota in 2008, then GM regained the title in 2011 after the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. 2012 showed that Toyota is up and running again.
  Since we're talking about this horse race, we should note that Volkswagen is close behind as the world's third largest automaker.