| Kym Worthy says |
| By Janaya Black |
Published
03/26/2008
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FrontPAGE - Main News
| Unrated |
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We’re ready to roll!’
Kym Worthy and her legal team. – Andre Smith photo
“Today we have filed a 12-count criminal information that contains charges against Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and Christine Beatty,” Wayne County Prosecutor Kim Worthy announced at 11 a.m. Monday March 24, as the entire metro region tuned in to hear the decision it has been anxiously awaiting since the unveiling of the infamous “text messaging” scandal between Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and his former chief of staff, Christine Beatty.
The 12 charges included four counts of perjury for both Beatty and Kilpatrick, one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice, one count of obstruction of justice, and two counts of misconduct (two counts for Kilpatrick and one for Beatty), all of which carry between five- and 15-year prison sentences.
The prosecutor addressed the basis for the legal procedure with poise and confidence as she pain-stakingly laid the background for the impending case.
“This case was about as far from being a private matter as one can get. Honesty and integrity in the justice system is everything. That is what this case is about,” Worthy asserted adamantly, “Just when did honesty and integrity, truth and honor become traits to be mocked, downplayed, ignored, laughed at or excuses made for them? When did telling the truth become a supporting player to everything else? Even children understand that lying is wrong.”
Seemingly undeterred by the decision of the prosecutor, the mayor and his legal counsel maintained that the situation would be rectified and he will be vindicated.
“I listened to her orally tell us what the charges are,” stated Mayor Kilpatrick’s attorney Dan Webb, “I am familiar with the evidence and I can tell you, based on my years of experience as a trial lawyer, it is my belief that based on the evidence, that after a jury has heard the actual evidence in a courtroom that relates to these charges, that the mayor will be found not guilty. And he will be exonerated of each and every one of the charges that I heard the prosecutor outline.
“In fact,” he continued, “when I listen to the charges, it’s clear to me that every single count in this complaint is based on allegations that the mayor acted improperly in connection with the civil case.
Now, in fact, the core of this indictment is clearly allegations that the mayor committed perjury in a civil case. Based on the research I’ve done, I have not found a single occasion, ever, that this county prosecutor’s office has ever charged anyone with the crime of perjury in a civil case. It’s always reserved for criminal cases. I know, having been a prosecutor myself, there are allegations made all the time by disgruntled litigants in civil cases and I don’t know what the statistics are, but out of all those allegations over the years they’ve only chosen on one occasion ever to bring charges against somebody in a civil case for perjury.
That certainly raises an issue of what’s called ‘selective prosecution,’ which is an issue that I intend to raise in front of the trial judge assigned to this case.”
Webb cited perjury as being difficult to prosecute in a court of law due to it being hard to prove, so it is his opinion that Kilpatrick should not resign from his position as mayor. He also indicated that in effort to prevent the case from being tried in the press, he has advised the mayor not to discuss the case at all.
“We’ll do our speaking in court. We’re not going to try this case in the press,” he stated. “The system works best when jurors are allowed to come into the courtroom without being blitzed with publicity for months ahead of time. I assume and hope the prosecutor will feel the same way.”
In a general response to the charges, Kilpatrick read verbatim from a pre-scripted speech that essentially echoed the sentiments of his attorney.
“First, obviously, I’m deeply disappointed in the prosecutor’s decision. I can’t say that I am surprised, however,” Kilpatrick stated. “This has been a very flawed process from the very beginning. However at the same time I recognize that this is the first step in a process that I believe in, that’s grounded in the presumption of innocence that is guaranteed to each and every American by the Constitution of these United States. I look forward to complete exoneration once all of the facts surrounding this matter have been brought forth. In the meantime, I will remain focused on moving this city forward with the key initiatives that we laid out before you.”
Mayor Kilpatrick and Christine Beatty turned themselves in Monday afternoon and were arraigned Tuesday morning. Both were released on $75,000 bonds.
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