The Kilpatrick Enterprise Trial

With the seating of its jury and today's change of venue attempt unlikely to succeed we are on the eve of one of the greatest trials in Detroit history.

I have just finished reading the full 91 page indictment which details the government's case and the tangle of characters, contractors, events and charges. Once one gets by the legal jargon, it reads like TV series of crime episodes.

There are five defendants indicted: Kwame Kilpatrick, Bernard Kilpatrick, Bobby Ferguson, Victor Mercado and Derrick Miller. Together they are accused of operating as a conspiracy named as the "Kilpatrick Enterprise" in the indictment. They also face a range of other individual charges.

As this sure-to-be long and loud trial proceeds, let's remember that under our system of justice all defendants are currently innocent of these charges, with the exception of Derrick Miller who has confessed and will serve as state's witness. Put aside feelings and discuss this with the seriousness it requires.

Perhaps most interesting will be the cast of characters who allegedly paid the bribes and made extortion payments.

Also revealing will be those who didn't and suffered.

There are some very high-powered individuals who will be revealed when the rocks get turned over.

Good reading on this can be found in this Crain's Article:
Biz likely to be heard in Kilpatrick trial By Chad Halcom

So... Ready? Set? Go.
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For the purpose of trial's discussion, this thread will form the central thread of the discussion. We will allow multiple threads as various twists and surprises arise, but eventually will merge them here after their interest expires. We will also periodically update the title of this thread to make it appropriate news at the time.

This change of venue farce is interesting. His best chance is getting a mistrial with a hung jury. One Detroit citizen who will refuse to go along with the other jurors. His only hope is for a trial here.

Let's just hope it doesn't drag on too long. Every day the front pages are covering the trial, while necessary, it puts pressing city issues - EFM, homocide rate, Belle Isle, lighting, etc. - somewhat on the back burner and thanks in part to Kilpatrick, there's no time for that.

What a farce about moving the venue because jurors voting to acquit might be outed! What does KK think would happen if this trial were in Bay City or Akron - where everyone knows everybody else. Seems to me that's the way jury trials are in most of the country - in venues where the jury members are very known people. Think about every small-town trial film you've ever seen: the attorneys always call the jurors by familiar names.

People will just have to follow their consciences and they will be alright.

Do you think the DEGC official was George Jackson?

On Page 35 of the indictment - Count 1 [Extortion of Municipal Contractors and Rigging of Public Contract] I-M [Kwame Kilpatrick attempted to Get Ferguson the Tiger Stadium Demolition] there is mentioned an attempt to strong arm

"...an official of the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation [["DEGC") to recommend that Ferguson get the contract to demolish Tiger Stadium... even though Ferguson was not the lowest bidder. When the DEGC official refused, Kwame Kilpatrick tried to retaliate against the official by having him removed from his position."

"...March 2008, Kwame Kilpatrick contacted a DEGC official who was helping the EDC to evaluate the bids, telling him that Kwame Kilpatrick wanted Ferguson's joint venture to win the demolition contract."

"...April 21, 2008, Kwame Kilpatrick expressed his concern and unhappiness to the DEGC official after learning that the EDC's staff had recommended that the EDC negotiate a contract with a different demolition team whose bid was $300,000 lower than Ferguson's joint venture. Kwame Kilpatrick instructed the DEGC official to delay submitting the recommendation to the EDC board so Kwame Kilpatrick could have an official at the Building & Safety Engineering Department [[who served at Kwame Kilpatrick’s pleasure review the recommendation. The DEGC official declined to delay the board's vote.)"

"...April 30, 2080, after the EDC board unanimously voted to award the contract to the low bidder, rather than the Ferguson joint venture, a high-level official from the Mayor's Office, at Kwame Kilpatrick's direction, called the DEGC official to warn him that he had made a bad decision, that he was not a team player, and that from now on the mayor's office would review all staff recommendations before they were given to the board."

"...April 30, 2008, Kwame Kilpatrick, who was upset with the DEGC official in part for not recommending that the Ferguson joint venture receive the Tiger Stadium demolition contract, sent his Chief of Staff, Kandia Milton, to the office of the DEGC official to ask for his resignation. The DEGC official declined to resign."

Lowell, your thought on whether the official is George Jackson is a solid guess; but my thoughts run to why did KK even think he could strong arm Jackson.

My thinking is that Jackson must have been compromised in the past therefore giving KK the valid impression he could manipulate the Tiger Stadium contract.

Was Jackson just fed up with being his tool and refused to play anymore?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gnome

My thinking is that Jackson must have been compromised in the past therefore giving KK the valid impression he could manipulate the Tiger Stadium contract.

Was Jackson just fed up with being his tool and refused to play anymore?

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Maybe Kwame didn't have anything left to lose at this point and said, "The hell with it, I'm gonna milk this thing for all it's worth before I'm forced out of office."

Jackson, like you said, may have been compromised in the past. Or perhaps Kwame had some dirt on him, too.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by kenp

This change of venue farce is interesting. His best chance is getting a mistrial with a hung jury. One Detroit citizen who will refuse to go along with the other jurors. His only hope is for a trial here.

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I totally agree but if the prosecution does get a conviction he will need grounds for an appeal. They are just laying some groundwork.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gnome

Lowell, your thought on whether the official is George Jackson is a solid guess; but my thoughts run to why did KK even think he could strong arm Jackson.

My thinking is that Jackson must have been compromised in the past therefore giving KK the valid impression he could manipulate the Tiger Stadium contract.

Was Jackson just fed up with being his tool and refused to play anymore?

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Kwame's attempts to strong-arm Jackson do not necessarily imply any prior wrongdoing on Jackson's part. As is well-documented, Kwame tried to strong-arm the innocent and the guilty alike.

If KING KWAME, his daddy, his best friend and Mercado is found guilty and get 30 years in federal prison. I will be cheering.

This will be a lesson to anyone that you don't lie, cheat and steal from the People of Detroit. I'm glad I didn't vote for him for Mayor of Detroit for 1st and second term.

at least now it has finally started. I'm glad that the federal courts do not allow photography/video in the courtrooms. no daily-video updates needed, thanks..

some random thoughts-
I wonder if/when any of the defendants will claim to become sick..
Same with the jury- right now it is "50% minority" but if that ever changes at all, look for the defense to sieze on it as an issue..

I wonder is the jury banned from social networking during the run of the trial?

I wonder will any further charges come out against other folks who end up "being named" during the trial..

and, regardless of the verdict, the city is going to be struggling for some years to come..