Ruling due on Kwame Kilpatrick's payments

[Nagishkaw 510]

DETROIT — Most restitution hearings are over in hours. Then again, most restitution hearings don't involve former Detroit mayors with million-dollar restitution tabs.

After seven days of testimony and legal arguments that stretched over months, a judge's ruling this week will reveal the fate of former mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and his progress in paying restitution to the city of Detroit as part of a deal to end a criminal case stemming from a 2008 text-message scandal.

A Detroit Free Press analysis of Wayne County Circuit Judge David Groner's orders found that although Kilpatrick did make required restitution payments, he did not disclose the finances of his wife, Carlita, or provide copies of leases on the two homes his family has rented since their move to Southlake, Texas.

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy filed a motion last week asking the judge to find Kilpatrick in violation of the terms of his probation for hiding assets and failing to pay as much as he should on a monthly basis.

Groner is scheduled to rule Wednesday.

"This is longer than some jury trials," Groner said on Dec. 8, "way longer."

Defense lawyer Michael Alan Schwartz contended his client is being singled out.

"Unfortunately, they want this man so destroyed that he will not be able to go on with his life," Schwartz said.

Worthy said the special attention given to Kilpatrick stems from his own behavior: leasing pricy vehicles, renting limousines, living in a mini-mansion.

In any given year, as Wayne County Circuit Court figures suggest, courts collect just about 10% of restitution.

Worthy said her office needs to improve how it handles many aspects of restitution.

One thing that she says won't change is the level of attention she's devoting to the biggest restitution case she has.

"He owes a lot of money. He has access to it," she said. "We have to make sure it gets done."

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-0...ilpatrick_N.htm