Detroit has That Was the Week That Was multiplied [[Part 2 of 4 in current events)
May 31, 11:00 PMDetroit City Buzz Examiner
Wendy Clem
Wayne County Judge David Groner gave the public a vote of confidence with his verdicts against KK.
Detroit News
When he returned to the Detroit court last week, Kwame Kilpatrick was sentenced by Wayne County Judge David Groner to one-and-a-half to five years in prison, including credit for time served last year. His attorney, Michael Schwartz, repeatedly appeared, vowing to appeal, making all sorts of "deeply disappointed" statements about the judge's actions.
Perhaps the most telling statement was Schwartz's uncertainty as to how his client would now repay the remaining $860,000 KK owes the city.
Or, pay his attorneys, apparently.
Within 24 hours, Schwartz unexpectedly resigned as KK's attorney, claiming he received a career-changing phone call from a Southfield-based religious broadcaster, The Word Network, offering a new job.
Stating that he was "not resigning" per se, Schwartz said, "I'm at least in spirit with Mr. Kilpatrick. I feel he has been wronged."
Schwartz planned to meet with KK by the weekend at the latest, offering help to locate a new attorney who can file KK's appeal within the remainder of the 42 days that began on Tuesday.
"I am sure there will be an appeal. I'm sure Mr. Kilpatrick will have counsel to represent him," he added.
Schwartz begins June 1 as general legal counsel for the Urban Religious Channel, a broadcaster of African-American religious content and gospel music.
He maintains that Groner's latest sentence exceeds a zero-to-17 month state Department of Corrections suggestion. Some legal experts also weighed in, saying a case review is probable, in spite of numerous potential objections having already been rejected in previous appeals.
Dured Daniel Hajji, Schwartz's co-counsel on the KK case, also said he planned to meet with his client soon, but within the following day of Schwartz's disappearance, resigned as well.
Meanwhile, KK's employer, Covisint - a division of Detroit's Compuware Corp. - announced that it was firing him by the end of May, claiming it had "no choice." Part of the bounty the Kilpatricks hid from the court and for which KK is now incarcerated was $240,000 in "loans" from area businessmen, including the Compuware Chairman of the Board and CEO, Peter Karmanos, Jr.
Although experts say he could remain behind bars until Jan. 24, 2015, KK might be released as early as July 24, 2011. That sentence is dependent on his behavior while incarcerated, among other details, say experts. If he fails to win parole because of behavior or other problems while in prison, Kilpatrick could remain behind bars until Jan. 24, 2015.
Today's news reports a new attorney on the scene: Arnold Reed. A website for an attorney named Arnold Reed lists innumerable million-dollar winnings, well-known political connections and has the following client testimonial about him:
"In a street fight between Attorney Reed and Godzilla, I would have to go with Godzilla. But in a courtroom, God help Godzilla." - Delano Boatwright - Royal Oak, MI
Alrighty, then. Sounds like some masterful smoke and mirror shows on the horizon; popcorn optional.
But on the public's behalf, we already have KK's number, which was assigned in 2008. It's prisoner number 702408.
Don't miss Part 1 of this 4-part article in this current events series, That Was the Week That Was.
http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-1...current-events
