Crime

Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick Once Again Denied Motion to Vacate 28-Year Sentence

DEFENDER NEWS NETWORK — On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Nancy Edmunds rejected the appeal from the former mayor of Detroit, who is in his eighth year in prison. Kilpatrick’s motion argued the court made errors during his trial. Among the issues he alleged were incorrect jury instructions, impermissible hearsay and his defense lawyer having a conflict of interest.

Published

5 years ago

March 27, 2019

Oakland Post

By Defender News Service

Kwame Kilpatrick has once again hit a snag in his quest to have his 28-year prison sentence renounced.

On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Nancy Edmunds rejected the appeal from the former mayor of Detroit, who is in his eighth year in prison. Kilpatrick’s motion argued the court made errors during his trial. Among the issues he alleged were incorrect jury instructions, impermissible hearsay and his defense lawyer having a conflict of interest.

Edmunds said the 48-year-old disgraced political figure’s motion failed to show he was unfavored by any supposed errors and he also did not raise some of the issues in a previous appeal, according to The Detroit News.

“Nor can defendant show actual innocence,” Edmunds wrote in her decision. “As this court has previously discussed at length, the evidence at trial weighed heavily in support of the verdicts of guilt against defendant.”

The action was Kilpatrick’s latest move in an attempt to become a free man since he was sent to prison in 2013 following a federal corruption trial. After running a criminal operation from City Hall that included funneling water and sewer contracts worth tens of millions of dollars to contractor and longtime pal Bobby Ferguson, Kilpatrick was found guilty on charges of extortion, bribery, conspiracy and other crimes during his tenure as mayor of Motor City.

Kilpatrick, who was abruptly put out of office in 2008 after a sex scandal involving explicit text exchanges with his then-married chief of staff (he was also married), previously tried to get President Donald Trump to commute his sentence in June 2018. At the time, he had served seven years of his sentence.

“I accepted Christ as my Lord, my Savior, and my Redeemer that day; June 9, 2014. And everything in my life changed!” Kilpatrick wrote in a lengthy Facebook post detailing why he should be granted clemency ” … Yes, I have been punished severely. I have been chained like a wild animal, shacked around my ankles, waist and wrist, with a black box to keep my hands at my side many times. I experienced ridicule, scorn and disrespect from prison staff that you couldn’t imagine.”

Trump did not respond to his request.

This article originally appeared the Defender News Network.

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California Makes Strides in Fight Against Fentanyl

California National Guard’s Counterdrug Task Force has seized over 7,000 pounds of fentanyl including 3.4 million pills since the state launched a multi-agency operation in January 2024. Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the state’s progress on May 7, National Fentanyl Awareness Day. The Governor said he deployed the state’s highway patrol and National Guard personnel last year as part of a public safety operation in partnership with local government officials and law enforcement.

Published

1 day ago

May 17, 2024

Oakland Post

In the past five years, California has invested $1.1 billion in operations and initiatives to fight crime, support local law enforcement, and improve public safety. The Newsom administration has implemented a comprehensive approach as part of the governor’s Master Plan to tackle the fentanyl and opioid crisis.

By California Black Media

California National Guard’s Counterdrug Task Force has seized over 7,000 pounds of fentanyl including 3.4 million pills since the state launched a multi-agency operation in January 2024.

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the state’s progress on May 7, National Fentanyl Awareness Day.

The Governor said he deployed the state’s highway patrol and National Guard personnel last year as part of a public safety operation in partnership with local government officials and law enforcement.

“As we recognize the serious dangers of illegal fentanyl, California is continuing to tackle this issue head-on. Our efforts are getting this poison off our streets and out of our communities as we continue to support people struggling with substance use.” Newsom said.

CalGuard Major General Matthew Beevers said that the state’s unprecedented investment in the Counterdrug Task Force has immobilized operations and revenue channels of transnational criminal organizations.

“The CalGuard is committed to supporting our state, federal, local and tribal law enforcement partners to eliminate the scourge of fentanyl,” Beevers said.

In the past five years, California has invested $1.1 billion in operations and initiatives to fight crime, support local law enforcement, and improve public safety. The Newsom administration has implemented a comprehensive approach as part of the governor’s Master Plan to tackle the fentanyl and opioid crisis.

The Newsom administration has expanded efforts to improve public safety across the state where operations occurred in cities such as San Francisco, Oakland, and Bakersfield.

San Francisco Mayor London Breed acknowledged that joint operation was a step in the right direction toward curbing illegal activity and improving public safety.

“Our coordinated work to shut down drug markets in San Francisco is making a difference, but we have more work to do,” Breed said.

“Together we are sending a message at all levels of government that anyone selling fentanyl in this city will be arrested and prosecuted,” she said.