Attorney Says Kilpatrick Mistress Got $140K Parting Gift
DETROIT (WWJ/AP) - Kwame Kilpatrick's ex-Chief of Staff and former mistress Christine Beatty reportedly did not leave empty-handed when she resigned in 2008 amid the text-message scandal.
That's according to defense attorney Martin Crandall, who represents ex-Detroit water boss Victor Mercado in the federal corruption case against his client, along with the former mayor, his father and city contractor friend Bobby Ferguson.
According to Crandall, Beatty left her city government post with more than $140,000, courtesy of Kilpatrick's non-profit civic fund.
At a pre-trial hearing Monday, Crandall argued that Mercado was not member of Kilpatrick's inner circle and "didn't get anything other than his salary," during Kilpatrick's rein.
In a federal indictment, Kwame and Berndard Kilpatrick are accused of taking kickbacks and bribes to steer city business to certain contractors, especially Ferguson. All, including Mercado, have pleaded not guilty.
Also on Monday, Federal Judge Nancy Edmund ruled that, when selection process gets underway, the jurors will be semi-anonymous, known only to lawyers.
Edmunds said she's concerned about the privacy of jurors. She said the attorneys in the case will be given the jurors' names and ZIP codes for the selection process but during the trial jurors will be identified in court only by a number.
More than 100 potential jurors will fill out a 22-page questionnaire on Wednesday with more than 100 questions about their views of Kilpatrick, his father Bernard, Ferguson and Mercado.
The jury pool will be trimmed by Sept. 6 when candidates are interviewed in court.
Also on Monday, Kilpatrick's attorneys were expected to ask the judge to rule inadmissible any evidence that shows he was imprisoned or disciplined in the past. They also planed to ask that the prosecution be prohibited from presenting Kirkpatrick's college or law school transcripts.
Kwame Kilpatrick quit city hall in fall 2008 and now lives with his family in the Dallas suburb of Grand Prairie, Texas. He has been making payments toward the more than $850,000 in restitution he owes Detroit from a 2008 plea in a separate criminal case.
In an exclusive interview with WWJ Newsradio 950's Vickie Thomas last week, Kilpatrick said he's "never been happier," and he will not be going back to prison. (Listen to that interview here).
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