As his September public corruption trial nears, ex-Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick seems to be exuding a lot of confidence.
In an exclusive interview with WWJ's Vicki Thomas down in the Dallas area where he currently resides, he said he expects to win his case that involves allegations of bribery, and avoid prison.
“I’m not going to prison. I’m not going to spend another day there. It was never a place that I should have been in the first place, and by the grace of God, I won’t go back. But, I don’t think about that, I think about winning." Opening statements in the trial are expected to begin Sept. 14.
“I’ve taken an incredible butt whipping but I’ve also been humbled by this experience enough to know that in order to continue to move forward, there are some things you must address. And so I want to talk to people,” Kilpatrick said.
He also said he thinks that the swagger the city once had is gone.
“That swagger that was Detroit is just not there anymore. I’m in and out of the city almost every week now. And I sense it, the cloud that’s there. It’s horrible. It’s not just economic and it’s not just jobs. It’s a spiritual energy that’s not good. A lot of people pointing their fingers saying ‘It’s all your fault Kwame Kilpatrick.’ But after four years of being gone, you know… Everybody at every level needs to take responsibility for the change and the transformation and for the revolution.”
Not everyone is onboard with Kilpatrick's comments.
Here's the comments posted on the WWJ website:
Bob: Headline + Kwame = GUILTY 20 yrs Federal Prison, that is the only headline i ever want to see with his name in it, ever.
MorsHostibus: Kwamee is human garbage that is emblematic of the corruption and disaster that inherent in the democrat run cities.....
Swagger? Detroit? uh sure.....a bankrupt, racist hellhole seething with hate, overflowing with abject ignorance and they even lost the murder title to Chicago..(293 killed and counting).
The only way that Detroit can come back is to flush out the democrats and their puppetmasters the public sector unions.
fordgt40: Why are WE PAYING FOR THIS FELON'S ATTORNEYS? This creep is going to jail for 20+ years and you just keep on kissing his ass. And they wonder what the problems are with Democratic controlled municipalities. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS. This thug has stolen from Detroit, young people, old people and ran the entire administration like his personal shakedown... YOU DO REALIZE HE STOLE FROM A CHARITIES that were to improve the lives of young people and senior citizens??? And yet you continue to idolize a criminally intent, lying, cheating, thieving narcissist.
YOU PEOPLE are what have DESTROYED my city. God, I loved Detroit. Now I am embarrassed to say it's my home town. Just keep giving that fat man 'the love'. IDIOTS
Fred Pyro: Sorry Kwamee, when you are found guilty, and you will be, you will be going back to prison, where you deserve to be. You are the reason detroit is in the toilet, you STOLE Millions and destroyed the city. You are an arrogant Ass that does not deserve to be free.
James West: Crooked and ignorant politicians are only part of the problem in Detroit.
Nathan Detroit: Kwame isn't Detroit's biggest problem. Detroil failed to build and sustain a deep rooted, philanthropic set of wealthy families in the city. Detroit was a means to making outsiders auto money and then watch them leave. Even the Stroh family sold out. Only the Fords remain near Detroit, not in it. Too many things left Detroit; people, money, ambition, civic interest and pride.
SmokeStack Lightning: smell that Kwame?? Smells like FREEDOM, something you are really gonna miss.
Take in some deep breaths pal, cuz where you're going, the air isn't so sweet.
fordgt40: wow, cant handle the truth, heh? typical.
