Scandal: Detroit Mayor

Last updated September 2nd, 3:30pm

Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick has been charged with perjury, assault and obstruction of justice. At a September 3 hearing, Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm will decide whether he should be ousted from office.

Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick (Credit: Bill Pugliano/Getty Images) Much of Kilpatrick's legal trouble stems from accusations from two police whistleblowers. One of the mayor's former bodyguards alleged in a 2003 lawsuit that he'd been transferred after raising questions about members of the mayor's security team padding time sheets, drinking while on duty and covering up accidents involving department vehicles.

The chief of the internal affairs unit, Gary Brown, was fired after he began to look into the allegations. The bodyguard and Brown brought a whistleblower suit against the city in 2003 and were awarded $8.4 million in a 2007 settlement.

That whistleblower trial uncovered text messages between the mayor and his chief of staff, Christine Beatty, who carried out Brown's dismissal. As part of the settlement, which was approved by the city council, those messages were kept secret. Kilpatrick did not inform the council about that aspect of the settlement.

In January 2008, the Detroit Free Press obtained copies of the text messages, which appeared to show that Kilpatrick had lied under oath when he denied having a sexual affair with Beatty. They also provided evidence that Kilpatrick and Beatty had conspired to fire Brown. In March, Kilpatrick and Beatty were charged with perjury, conspiracy to obstruct justice, obstruction of justice and misconduct in office.

Kilpatrick spent a night in jail in August after he violated the terms of his bond with a trip to Canada. The next day, he was charged with assault for allegedly shoving a police officer delivering a subpoena.

The governor's hearing will focus on the propriety of the $8.4 million settlement and whether Kilpatrick did wrong by concealing the messages from the council.

In late August, a judge ruled that the city must release text messages relating to the investigation of the murder of a stripper who earlier claimed to have been present at an alleged party the mayor hosted in 2002. Her family has sued the city, claiming that it interfered with that investigation, and a police officer has filed a lawsuit against the city alleging that his transfer out of homicide was in retaliation for investigating the murder.

Essential Reading:

The Detroit Free Press has compiled its full coverage of the scandal beginning in 2008 here and a highlights page with just the crucial info.
Metro Times also has a helpful article that summarizes the whistleblowers' suit against the city.
Here's the Free Press article that broke the news of the mayor's perjury and romantic text messages between Kilpatrick and Beatty.
Some facts on the Governor's hearing.