Detroit's Mayor Pleads Guilty - Agrees Not to Run for Office

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Detroit's Mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick, has pleaded guilty to two felony counts of obstruction of justice related to a scandal involving text messages between Kilpatrick and his former chief of staff that contradicted previous sworn testimony by the two. Under the terms of the agreement, Kilpatrick will remain in office for only 14 more days, at which time he will resignation and begin serving a 120 day sentence. Interestingly, the agreement also includes a provision prohibiting him from seeking public office during a five year probation period. Reading from a prepared statement, Kilpatrick stated, "I lied under oath in the case of Gary Brown and Harold Nelthrop versus the city of Detroit. . . I did so with the intent to mislead the court and jury and to impede and obstruct the fair administration of justice." As for the related charges of assault stemming from an altercation with authorities who were attempting to serve one of Kilpatrick's friends in the perjury case, the judge accepted a no-contest plea.

Read the Wall Street Journal Law Blog article on the plea agreement here.

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