He's Ba-aack. Kwame Kilpatrick to get Appeals Hearing

[Honky Tonk]

Tell me more about your thoughts. I don't understand what you're saying.

Certainly prison isn't best -- but isn't it better than nothing? And if not prison, then what?

What would be the right 'working off of his debt'? The court has assessed significant monetary fines to him -- but frankly its a fraction of the damage he did to our City. The true cost to Detroit is quite arguably much greater than his ability to repay.

Your thoughts on how he might repay? And how it would help future city leaders from becoming felons?

Restitution my ass. The guy's a stone jerk. He was given a deal to pay back 1 mil out of the original 9 mil of City funds he squandered trying the cover up his tex'n. Think about it, 8 mil scot free, and he wouldn't do it. Anyone else would've said "thank you your honor" and kept their mouth shut. But not y'alls boy, he just kept pushing his luck. He plunged the City into bankruptcy, trying to cover up his tracks. Yeah, a couple hours worth of community service ought to do it. If he wasn't incarcerated, and left in office, he would have syphoned off even more taxpayer dollars. Maybe he can start a lawsuit citing loss of income?

[Zacha341]

Yep, recall during the final KK years, the city could'nt even get off an audit to the state on the regular! Prolonging the 'butchers bill' of dept which was being hidden, while he went into full 'politician' damage-control mode - but it wouldn't help. The corruption was too broad, deep and thorough. With too many moving parts: folks who'd eventually sing 'loud' once their butts were on the stand.

Enough is enough, BEYOND enough. Recall Kilpatrick could only pay under $10 a month while living lavishly, and income not fully disclosed. Bottom line: Kilpatrick was obviously ostensibly resistant to pay any amount. Yet one would wonder how he, an attorney himself, could not see that at minimal you pay the initial restitution amount as requested, and then plea for an adjustment in rate later. Duh.

Well during that time he still had 'buffers' such as the revolving door of attorneys who said he could not to "afford to dial back his lifestyle so he [could] make the restitution payments."

[compn]

he should have appealed on something else. inadequate representation appeals never go anywhere.

[Jerry Van]

A lot worse goes on ever day on Wall Street.

Its he judicial system I have lost faith in KK no doubt fucked us all but putting ppl in prison for so many years only serves a vengeful attitude. Now it costs $50,000 a year to keep him and over another one million non violent offenders in jail and prison. I think there could be an easier solution.

It's not revenge. It's called justice. So he's supposed to be allowed do what he did and not pay the piper? You must be kidding. Or, do you believe he was just getting his? As if to say, everyone does it, he was just doing what everyone else does?

[Django]

Tell me more about your thoughts. I don't understand what you're saying.

Certainly prison isn't best -- but isn't it better than nothing? And if not prison, then what?

What would be the right 'working off of his debt'? The court has assessed significant monetary fines to him -- but frankly its a fraction of the damage he did to our City. The true cost to Detroit is quite arguably much greater than his ability to repay.

Your thoughts on how he might repay? And how it would help future city leaders from becoming felons?

I agree that prison is not the best solution. I would like to see less punishment and more rehabilitation. The united States holds 5% of the worlds population but we also hold 25% of of the worlds prisoners. WE have been hellbent on retribution through what is basically tourture, or putting people behind bars which are overpopulated, mismanaged, understaffed, corrupt, violent, and now used by big buisness as a way to make millions by putting not only violent but non violent criminals inside and putting them to work pr pennies on the dollar. CCA corporation as well as many other businesses have contracts with the cities, states, and Federal judicial systems to create more prisons and they want to fill those prisons so they can make more prisons. This business of incarceration also brings in all sorts of other services such as health care, food services, prison guards and unions, and putting prisoners to work for pennies on the dollar. Prisoners often make products for a sister company that makes military gear for another war, they also awnser the phone when you book a trip for your vacation to Hawaii. Travel agencies hire prisoner cell phone banks all the time.
All these jobs prisones have fill the shoes of people on the outside trying to do there best to have a job and make a living wage. This is called the Prison Industrial Complex and in America we are the best at it, no country has more prisoners than we do.
The drug war is the main culprit, mosly non violent offenders caught up with mandatory sentencing laws and the hype that drugs kill people when the fact is more people die over drugs than by drugs, but I will try and keep off my anti drug war soapbox many of you have heard countless times.
I think there should be a new way of dealing with non violent criminals. Why not make them live in a halfway house sort of setting working for the good at a minimum wage like the common man. Ankle braclet, cerfu, no vacations, possibly for the good of the state or nation. KK may be an idiot but he is not useless and I think he could serve a better purpose than sitting in a cage making people feel better because he is being punished.
I dont agree that the current prison system is working and I think big changes are needed before privatized prisons have a foothold. Privatateized prison corporations love non violent offenders, they are easy to maintain and they make money for the jobs they provide at a cut rate but while taking away jobs from people on the outside..
KK is an indignent ass but I believe he could still be of good use for 25 years outside of prison somehow. I do not believe in vengeful retribution and that what prison is, for non violent offenders

[Django]

I am loving this debate.

[canuck]

Have him wear an ankle bracelet while he is inside, just don't let him bend over for too long...

You are right about the prisons in the US and all the corollary bullshit industries built around them. The clowns in state and fed government that let this runaway train of a system steam on by are just as fucked as your Kwames and other smallfry in local government. The cynicism feeds on this, and of course as others have mentioned; the Dick Cheney's of this world will end their days in a wheelchair maybe but attended to with great care and never see steel bars that they should.

[Wesley Mouch]

I agree that prison is not the best solution. I would like to see less punishment and more rehabilitation. The united States holds 5% of the worlds population but we also hold 25% of of the worlds prisoners. WE have been hellbent on retribution through what is basically tourture, or putting people behind bars which are overpopulated, mismanaged, understaffed, corrupt, violent, and now used by big buisness as a way to make millions by putting not only violent but non violent criminals inside and putting them to work pr pennies on the dollar. CCA corporation as well as many other businesses have contracts with the cities, states, and Federal judicial systems to create more prisons and they want to fill those prisons so they can make more prisons. This business of incarceration also brings in all sorts of other services such as health care, food services, prison guards and unions, and putting prisoners to work for pennies on the dollar. Prisoners often make products for a sister company that makes military gear for another war, they also awnser the phone when you book a trip for your vacation to Hawaii. Travel agencies hire prisoner cell phone banks all the time.
All these jobs prisones have fill the shoes of people on the outside trying to do there best to have a job and make a living wage. This is called the Prison Industrial Complex and in America we are the best at it, no country has more prisoners than we do.
The drug war is the main culprit, mosly non violent offenders caught up with mandatory sentencing laws and the hype that drugs kill people when the fact is more people die over drugs than by drugs, but I will try and keep off my anti drug war soapbox many of you have heard countless times.
I think there should be a new way of dealing with non violent criminals. Why not make them live in a halfway house sort of setting working for the good at a minimum wage like the common man. Ankle braclet, cerfu, no vacations, possibly for the good of the state or nation. KK may be an idiot but he is not useless and I think he could serve a better purpose than sitting in a cage making people feel better because he is being punished.
I dont agree that the current prison system is working and I think big changes are needed before privatized prisons have a foothold. Privatateized prison corporations love non violent offenders, they are easy to maintain and they make money for the jobs they provide at a cut rate but while taking away jobs from people on the outside..
KK is an indignent ass but I believe he could still be of good use for 25 years outside of prison somehow. I do not believe in vengeful retribution and that what prison is, for non violent offenders

Amen to much of what you say. I'm 99% with you on the Prison Industrial Complex, and think we need to seriously change. Biggest change would be legalization of most drugs. Another story.

As to your point that he could 'serve a better purpose'... well of course. But he did not. He decided to serve himself, not the citizens first. By what means will you compel him to do this?

I can't speak for others, but I do not find joy in KK's jail time. It does not make me feel good. In fact, it makes me feel disgusted.

Prison is a terrible solution. I think you're idea of 'public service at minimum wage' isn't a bad idea -- probably unpopular though with those who believe we must preserve the dignity of criminals.

[Hypestyles]

so is he planning on writing another book?