Prosecutors say Kwame Kilpatrick's bond request should be denied

Former Detroit mayor in prison after guilty convictions on federal corruption charges including racketeering

DETROIT – The U.S. Attorney's Office says former Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's request to be released from prison on bond should be denied.

Kilpatrick is in prison while he awaits sentencing for convictions on multiple federal corruption charges.

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View court document: Kilpatrick's bond request denied

He and co-defendant Bobby Ferguson were denied bond after a jury found them guilty on several corruption charges, including racketeering. Judge Nancy Edmunds said she considered both men flight risks due to their past parole violations and the amount of money they are accused of stealing which has not been found by federal investigators.

"He has a history of intimidation which is evident in the testimony of officer Fountain and other witnesses whom he wanted to give false testimony to grand jury," the judge said. "I order that Mr. Kilpatrick and Mr. Ferguson be remanded to the U.S. Marshals for detention."

Kilpatrick's defense team wants a hearing to request bond but the U.S. Attorney says the request should be denied because "(Kilpatrick) is simply rehashing the issues he previously presented to the Court without showing a "palpable defect" in which the Court was previously misled, nor one which if corrected would result in a different decision."

Kilpatrick's own mother, Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, has gone to battle for her son's release from prison. She offered her Detroit house up as collateral to ensure her son returned to court for his sentencing. A date for that sentencing has not been set.

Kilpatrick will have to wait for the judge's ruling on whether he gets a bond hearing.

Read more: Kilpatrick's mom offers up house to get son out of prison

Kilpatrick and Ferguson could get 20 years in prison for the racketeering convictions alone.

From left: Kwame Kilpatrick, Bobby Ferguson and Bernard Kilpatrick in court. March 11, 2013.


From left: Kwame Kilpatrick, Bobby Ferguson and Bernard Kilpatrick in court. March 11, 2013.