Kwame Kilpatrick To Be Released Tomorrow
DETROIT (WWJ) - By this time Tuesday, Detroit's ex-mayor Kwame Kilpatrick will be a free man. And upon his release, he'll quickly head to Texas.
Speaking to WWJ's Vickie Thomas, Detroit Mayor Dave Bing said he supported Kilpatrick during his two terms in office and thought the city's youngest mayor was doing a great job until the text message scandal toppled his administration
"I supported Kwame for both terms, and I respected him and I thought he was doing a nice job. We just didn't know all of the things that were going on," said Bing.
"I know he's going to get out and go back and be with his family for a while, and I just want to wish him luck," added Bing.
Kilpatrick won permission last month from both state and federal authorities to transfer his two-year parole to Texas in his conviction in the text message scandal. He must report to authorities there within 24 hours after his release. Under the terms of his release, Kilpatrick also must make an "earnest effort to find employment," and his parole supervisor will set an amount and schedule for him to make payments toward the $860,000 he still owes on the $1-million restitution he promised the city of Detroit.
Kilpatrick still faces federal charges and will spend time working with his lawyers on his defense. The ex-mayor's attorney James Thomas says Kilpatrick's job, for now, will be promoting his new tell-all book, "Surrendered! The Rise, Fall and Revelation of Kwame Kilpatrick", and making a living as a motivational or historical speaker.
Freelance journalist Khary Kimani Turner, the book's co-author, says he hopes Detroit's former mayor will be able to get a new start in Texas. The book was supposed to be out Monday, but has been delayed.
