Jurors were sent home early Tuesday after several issues emerged that prevented defense witnesses from testifying in the Kwame Kilpatrick corruption trial.
Kilpatrick’s defense team was expected to try to rebound from a rocky experience involving a tax expert and questions about the Kilpatrick Civic Fund.
The defense team’s tax expert Gary Leeman was expected to return to face questions about the Kilpatrick Civic Fund. Last week, Leeman was asked if private yoga lessons for the former Detroit mayor were an appropriate expense for Kilpatrick’s nonprofit group.
“Not even close,” Leeman said, chuckling.
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Christine Beatty outside federal court in downtown Detroit.
Kwame Kilpatrick’s former mistress Christine Beatty, a recurring figure during the City Hall corruption trial, dumped a ton of debt Monday in bankruptcy court.
A Georgia bankruptcy judge granted Beatty a discharge four months after the text-message scandal figure filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy — a story broken by The News.
Beatty listed almost $400,000 in debts.
Her lawyer said despite the bankruptcy, Beatty had made it a “high priority” to pay almost $85,000 in restitution to the city.
She agreed to pay $100,000 as part of a guilty plea stemming from lies she and Kilpatrick told under oath during a whistle-blower trial.
According to the Oct. 26 bankruptcy filing, Beatty buckled under the weight of $60,000 in delinquent federal taxes, $220,000 in mortgage debt, consumer bills and the restitution.
Beatty discharge
U.S. District Judge Nancy Edmunds
Jurors were sent home early from the City Hall corruption trial because several defense witnesses had medical issues or other complications and were unable to testify today.
U.S. District Judge Nancy Edmunds apologized to jurors before sending them home following a 45-minute private meeting with lawyers to discuss evidentiary and scheduling issues. The trial will resume at 9 a.m. Wednesday in federal court.
She reiterated that defense teams for Kwame Kilpatrick, his father Bernard and contractor Bobby Ferguson will rest Wednesday. Closing arguments are expected Monday followed by jury deliberations.
Legal experts do not expect Kilpatrick, or the others, to testify.
Monica Conyers.
Former City Councilwoman Monica Conyers is living under home confinement in Detroit after being released from a halfway house, according to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
Conyers, 48, was allowed to move home Jan. 25 to finish a 37-month sentence for bribery, prisons spokesman Ed Ross told The News. Conyers’ sentence is up May 16.
Kwame Kilpatrick is the biggest target in the years-long City Hall corruption probe, but Conyers is the biggest name convicted, so far.
It is common for federal inmates to finish sentences on home confinement. Conyers, the wife of U.S. Rep. John Conyers, is required to work or seek a job, Ross said.
She is forbidden from leaving home except for work, church or medical reasons.
Jurors heard a lot about gifts Monday and Kwame Kilpatrick’s love of gifts, cash and balls of money.
So what did the homebound Hizzoner tweet about Monday night before getting in a Twitter scrap?
Gifts.
My Grandfathers gifted me w/a great love for history. They believed u could go back to the beginning & find original facts; THE TRUTH! #free
— KwameKilpatrick (@KwameAndFamily) February 4, 2013
Soon after, a “fan” reached out to Kilpatrick on Twitter.
@jinzo_2400 I don’t deny or run away from any of my missteps. I only hope that you & other emotionally charged folks can move on after 5yrs.
— KwameKilpatrick (@KwameAndFamily) February 4, 2013
Kilpatrick kept going.
@jinzo_2400 And also have some truth behind your emotion. You may even feel better. All the best to you and your family. Now I’ll block you.
— KwameKilpatrick (@KwameAndFamily) February 4, 2013
@jinzo_2400 LOL!More news stories.Goodbye Michael.Much love and peace to you.LOL!
— KwameKilpatrick (@KwameAndFamily) February 4, 2013
I thank God that I don’t hate anybody. If I did, I would think & talk about them all the time. Its like I couldn’t live w/o them. #digthat
— KwameKilpatrick (@KwameAndFamily) February 4, 2013
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