Kwame Kilpatrick is Hoping for an Early Release
Disgraced former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick could learn as early as next week whether he will be paroled from prison in July. But if Wayne County prosecutor Kym Worthy has her way, he will serve every day of his the minimum18-months he must complete of his five-year probation-violation sentence.
Kilpatrick, who the Detroit Free Press reports shares a cell with a convicted murderer, made his plea for release Thursday to the chair of the parole board, who will cast a vote, which he’ll share with another parole board member, who also will vote on the matter. If the two don’t agree, a third member will vote to break the tie.
According to the publication, Worthy sent a letter to the board adamantly opposing his release because, she believes, Kilpatrick feels no remorse for his crimes and would do it all over again if he could. She cited a risk assessment evaluation the Michigan Department of Corrections conducted, which showed that Kilpatrick’s score indicated “attitude problems, including moral justification for his criminal behavior, refusal to accept responsibility, blaming the victim, rationalizations (excuses) that minimize the seriousness and consequences of his criminal activity.” One of those consequences was the 2010 election defeat his mother Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, who had served in the U.S. House of Representatives for 14 years.
Worthy may have a point, though. Kilpatrick is suing the cellphone provider that released the text messages he exchanged with his mistress. Yes, that’s right, the text messages he initially denied ever sending.