No Parole Decision Yet For Kilpatrick
DETROIT (WWJ/AP) - An official says the Michigan parole board wants more information before deciding whether to release former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick from prison.
Prisons spokesman Russ Marlan said Friday that the parole board chairman wants to learn more about pending federal charges against Kilpatrick. It could delay a parole decision by up to 60 days.
Kilpatrick is in state prison for violating probation in the so-called text-messaging scandal that forced him out of office in 2008.
Meantime, he is awaiting trial on federal corruption charges in a separate case. The ex-Mayor, his father and three others face a sweeping indictment that accuses them of taking kickbacks and bribes in exchange for city contracts.
Marlan said it's unusual to parole an inmate who has felony charges pending in another case.
WWJ and Fox 2 Legal Analyst, Charlie Langton said he wasn't surprised by the board's request.
"One of the issues for the parole board is that they've got to make sure that if they release Kwame Kilpatrick, that he's not going to be a danger to society," Langton said.
"And, certainly, if there are allegations in the federal cases that would indicate Kwame Kilpatrick is a danger to society, I could see the parole board saying 'stay right there in prison'," he said.
But, despite this extra scrutiny, Langton said he believe Kwame Kilpatrick will be out of jail come the end of July.
In April, U.S. District Court Judge Nancy Edmunds set an unsecured $100,000 bond for Kilpatrick in the event that he is paroled. Marlan said prosecutors have indicated that Kilpatrick probably would be granted bail in the federal case if released from prison.
Kilpatrick's attorney, James Thomas, has said that if his client is paroled this summer, he will return to Texas to be with this family. Although, as a condition of his bond, Kilpatrick's travel will be limited to the continental U.S..
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
