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

7 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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Oakland Post: Week of July 1 – 7, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of July 1 – 7, 2026

Published

4 days ago

July 5, 2026

Oakland Post

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NPRC Joins National Grand Jury Proceedings Seeking Accountability, Constitutional Restoration

Organizers state that testimony will explore historical and political developments that they believe have contributed to the expansion of corporate influence over public institutions and governmental decision-making. Participants are expected to discuss concerns regarding constitutional governance, individual liberties, property rights, and the protection of vulnerable populations, including seniors and persons with disabilities.

Published

2 weeks ago

June 26, 2026

Oakland Post

Photo by Billie Powers.

Special to The Post

The National Probate Reform Coalition (NPRC) has joined Toll and Roll and a growing coalition of advocacy organizations, victims, whistleblowers, and citizen groups in support of a nationally broadcast People’s Grand Jury proceeding scheduled for July 1 and July 7.

Organizers describe the event as a public forum designed to examine allegations of government abuse, judicial misconduct, legislative failures, and the erosion of constitutional protections affecting millions of Americans.

The proceedings will feature testimony from victims, families, advocates, and organizations from across the country who contend they have experienced harm through government actions, institutional neglect, and failures of oversight.

According to organizers, the People’s Grand Jury will focus on concerns involving probate courts, guardianships, conservatorships, child welfare systems, property rights, civil liberties, and what participants view as a growing disconnect between government institutions and the constitutional rights of the people they are sworn to serve.

NPRC is participating because many of the issues being examined mirror the concerns raised by advocates, victims, and families who have participated in its monthly town halls. For years, families have reported cases involving exploitation of elders, questionable guardianships, estate depletion, denial of due process, and a lack of meaningful oversight within probate court systems.

“This proceeding gives victims and advocates an opportunity to place their experiences on the public record,” said Tanya Dennis, lead facilitator of NPRC. “For too long, families have struggled to have their voices heard regarding elder abuse, probate exploitation, and government inaction. This forum allows those stories to be shared before a national audience.”

In keeping with principles of transparency and fairness, invitations have been extended to legislators, members of the judiciary, law enforcement representatives, and other public officials who may wish to respond to concerns raised during the proceedings or defend actions taken by their respective institutions.

One of the primary outcomes sought by organizers is public consideration and support for the People’s Remedy and Restoration Act, a proposed legislative framework that advocates believe would strengthen oversight, increase accountability, provide remedies for victims of governmental abuse, and restore constitutional protections.

The proceedings are expected to be broadcast nationally, providing citizens throughout the United States an opportunity to observe testimony, review evidence presented, and participate in an ongoing conversation regarding government accountability and the protection of individual rights.

Advocates hope the hearings will encourage meaningful dialogue, legislative reform, and renewed public engagement in the democratic process.

Individuals, organizations, public officials, and members of the media interested in attending or obtaining access information may contact the organizers at tollandroll2025@gmail.com.

As Americans continue to debate the future of constitutional governance, judicial accountability, and the protection of vulnerable citizens, the July proceedings are expected to serve as a significant forum for public testimony and civic engagement. For more information, go to https://tollandroll.com