Kilpatrick Pleads Guilty, Will Resign

Detroit (WWJ)  -- Kwame Kilpatrick has plead guilty to two counts of obstruction of justice, and will resign Thursday from his office as Mayor of Detroit. As part of the deal, Kilpatrick will serve 120 days in the Wayne County Jail, and perjury charges will be dropped.

As you heard live on WWJ Newsradio 950, Kilpatrick addressed the public shortly after 7 p.m. Thursday evening, " ...Today is a new beginning," Kilpatrick said. "It is not an end. I appreciate all of you acknowledging that in your spirit and your energy that has helped me to stand."  His mother, Democratic Congresswoman Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, watched from the front row.

Along with the jail time, Kilpatrick will also serve five years probation and pay restitution to the City of Detroit in the amount of $1 million, $20,000 of that to be paid at sentencing and the rest to be paid during his probationary period. 

In the assault case -- Kilpatrick plead no contest to one charge and the second charge dropped. The deal also includes 120 days in jail, to be served concurrently with other case. Other probation terms may still be set by the court.


To view a copy of his resignation letter, click here.

Kilpatrick will give up his license to practice law and will be prohibited from holding public office for 5 years. Sentencing will take place on October 28.

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In court, Kilpatrick was reminded that, by pleading guilty, he is giving up many legal rights, including his to right to a trial.  When asked if he understood that he was giving up his right to be considered innocent until proven guilty, Kilpatrick replied, "I think I gave that up a long time ago, Your Honor. Yes,"

Kilpatrick was also asked to agree that he would not be able to appeal this case, or be allowed to state, in the future, that he had been forced in any way to agree to enter a guilty plea.

In front of Judge David Groner, Kilpatrick admitted to lying under oath during the whistleblower lawsuit trial. Listen: 

"I lied under oath in the case of Gary Brown and Harold Nelthrope versus the City of Detroit... regarding information that was related to claims made by Gary Brown and Harold Nelthrope," he said.

"I did so with the intent to mislead the court and the jury and to impede and obstruct the fair administration of justice," Kilpatrick said.

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Mayor Kilpatrick's former Chief of Staff, Christine Beatty also also appeared in the courtroom Thursday. Beatty did not plead guilty and is scheduled to next appear in court on Sept. 11.

The married mayor and Beatty were charged in March with perjury, misconduct and obstruction of justice. They were accused of lying under oath about an affair and their roles in the firing of a deputy police chief.

Separately, Kilpatrick's assault charges stemming from a confrontation in July.

The announcement of a deal by the prosecutor's office sent reporters rushing from the extraordinary hearing Wednesday in which Gov. Jennifer Granholm was tasked with deciding if Kilpatrick should be removed from office for misconduct. 
  
The plea deal and resignation has since made Granholm's role moot, and the removal hearing was suspended. More on this.

Kwame Kilpatrick was just 31 years old when he was elected in 2001, becoming the youngest mayor in city history.

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