Disgraced mayor gets up to five years in prison!
DETROIT, Michigan - May 25, 2010 - Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick was sentenced to up to five years in prison Tuesday for violating the terms of his probation stemming from his conviction for lying under oath about an affair with his chief of staff.
Kilpatrick, 39, asked Judge David Groner to show him compassion during the hearing, but Groner said, "That ship has sailed."
Groner said Kilpatrick would have to serve at least one-and-a-half years in prison, but that he would be credited for 120 days of time served from his original sentence. He is still obligated to pay back the remaining balance of his $1 million debt to the city of Detroit.
Kilpatrick, the father of three young sons, was led from the courtroom in handcuffs.
Groner ruled last month that Kilpatrick failed to report all of his assets and meet other conditions of his probation. In court Tuesday, Groner scolded Kilpatrick for his continued lack of candor about his finances.
"Your continued attempt to cast yourself as the victim, your lack of forthrightness, your lack of contriteness and lack of humility... clearly rehabilitation has failed," Groner told Kilpatrick after the former mayor spent about 15 minutes explaining why he should be allowed to return to his family in Dallas.
"I want to go home your honor, where I belong," Kilpatrick told Groner. "I'm not here because of a gun charge, or a drug charge. I'm here because of my confusion over some of the written orders that have been before me."
