Kwame Kilpatrick’s Conviction and Sentence Upheld

Ex-Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick lost his appeal seeking to have his public corruption conviction, which led to a 28-year prison sentence, overturned.

A decision by a panel of three judges with the Cincinnati-based 6th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals was released today. It upheld the convictions and sentences of Kilpatrick and his longtime contractor friend and co-defendant, Bobby Ferguson, who was sentenced to 21 years in prison.

But the ruling found the district court’s restitution award against Kilpatrick for $4.58 million to the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department wasn’t properly calculated and ordered it be calculated again by the court in Detroit.

Kilpatrick’s six-month trial included dozens of witnesses, hundreds of exhibits and ended with Kilpatrick being convicted of 24 counts for crimes including racketeering, extortion and bribery.

He is serving his sentence in El Reno, Okla., for the 2013 convictions.

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