Detroit thread. Post Kwame, Monica, and $1 houses here.

[derspiess]

If Taft didn't say anything about it, it's not worth mentioning.

[MadImmortalMan]

You never hear the Presidents talk about commissioning ships anymore. 

[CountDeMoney]

The non-smiling presidents look a bit more presidential.

Well maybe not McKinley who looks like a creeper.

Cleveland's portrait always looks like someone's father, ready to yell at them for fucking around with the remote, leave it on a channel already.

[Savonarola]

Kwame's mother has set up a web site to raise money for her son:  http://www.freedomjusticetrust.com/

Sent to prison by a federal court for a crime he didn't commit...

Latest Updates

As Kwame Kilpatrick continues unjustly to sit behind bars awaiting his pending sentencing, check this page to find the latest updates, including interviews, and developments surrounding the trial.

October 22, 2013

                                                                                 28 YEARS...



28 years, as the judge struck the gavel without blinking, sending Kwame Malik Kilpatrick to federal prison in what is said to be the harshest so-called public corruption conviction in the history of the United States of America.
That's right, with the sentence that Kwame Kilpartrick was given, the courts have sent a message that Kwame Kilpatrick is the most corrupt politician in the history of the United States of America.

Many have come out and stated since the sentencing that they honestly did not believe he would receive as much time as he did. People have publicly stated that the punishment is cruel and unusual based on the supposed crime. Even those who have opposed Kilpatrick and believed him to be guilty have admitted that the time he received was "outrageous".

Outrageous is a great adjective to describe the sentencing of Kwame Malik Kilpatrick. Other words also come to mind such as loathsome, vile, sickening, wicked, abominable, foul, and any other descriptive phrase that you may think of to describe the sentencing.

The outrage of the 28 year prison sentence is but one piece of the puzzle. The 28 year prison sentence, the harshest in the history of the United States of Americas, is a culmination of a meticulously crafted series of events to erase Kilpatrick's accomplishments from the history books, lay blame on Kilpatrick for every shortcoming the city has faced over the past 50 years, and ultimately to take Detroit.

On October 21, 2013 TV One ran a special Celebrity Crime Files on Kwame Malik Kilpatrick. One of the individuals interviewed, a Detroit local newspaper reporter who perpetuated the rumor of a Manoogian Mansion party and Mr. Kilpatrick's involvement with the death of a stripper, admitted on national television that the party never happened, and that people just "believed it".  They ran with this LIE daily for eight unrelenting years, and now that Kwame Kilpatrick is behind bars, their own hubris allows them to appear on national television and admit that they assassinated a man's character and fear no consequence for their actions.

Kwame Malik Kilpatrick is NOT GUILTY of the crimes that he was convicted. His right to a fair trial was trampled upon.  Kwame Kilpatrick continues to fight for his freedom from behind bars.  He asks that you not believe what the media tells you, or even what he tells you, but he asks to think critically and seek the TRUTH.
In light of the unprecedented 28 year prison sentence, the Freedom and Justice Trust asks that you donate $28 today to help Kwame Malik Kilpatrick realize his fight for freedom and justice.

The United States of Americas?   

[KRonn]

Seems he got a penalty equal to the corruption crimes he committed. I'm mainly surprised that this is being touted as so harsh, when political corruption should be treated very seriously anyway.

[Savonarola]

Seems he got a penalty equal to the corruption crimes he committed. I'm mainly surprised that this is being touted as so harsh, when political corruption should be treated very seriously anyway.

It's a fund organized by his Mom, I'm sure she'd think any punishment was too harsh.   

This wasn't Kwame's first offense; he had already been convicted of three felonies.  I think that's part of the reason why this sentence is so much more harsh than, say, Blagojevich's.

[Eddie Teach]

This wasn't Kwame's first offense; he had already been convicted of three felonies.  I think that's part of the reason why this sentence is so much more harsh than, say, Blagojevich's.

Nah, it's because he's black. 

[Savonarola]

Meanwhile in northern Michigan:

Group of Michigan superheroes fractured by crime-fighting feud



Mark Williams, aka Batman, and girlfriend Brittany Scott, as Batgirl, walk the snowy streets of Petosky last month near their apartment. (John L. Russell / Special to The Detroit News)

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140206/METRO06/302060033#ixzz2sZffv4GA

East Jordan— Petoskey Batman and Bee Sting were as thick as thieves, getting baptized together in the Jordan River — in northern Michigan.



Now they're archenemies.

The two men, part of a Michigan group that fights crime while dressed as superheroes, accuse each other of all manner of villainy.

It includes purported death threats and allegations of welfare fraud, probation violations and misuse of money from a fundraiser for the homeless.

Holy dirty laundry, Batman!

Their spat over leadership of the Michigan Protectors has split the dozen-member group into two parts.

"He is an abusive, neglectful, thieving, boastful, cowardly crook," said Mark Williams, alias Petoskey Batman. "He belongs in jail and I will see him there."

Adam Besso, aka Bee Sting, said Williams is obsessed.

"He has to tear others down to feel better about himself," Besso said. "He's like Lord of the Flies with a slightly better version of dirt bags."

After the leadership argument, things escalated when Besso criticized Williams for having two girlfriends. Williams told Besso's pregnant fiancée and mother of his two children Besso had cheated on her.

Fiancee Mandy Wilson was so angry she began spilling her own secrets about Besso. "He's a pig," she said about Besso.

Others say the dysfunctional duo need a time-out.

"This all baffles me," said Matt Gannaway of Shelby Township, an acquaintance of Besso.

"I can look at any junior high- or high school-aged kid's Facebook profile and read the same conversation."

Williams and Besso became friends after Williams got into trouble with the law in 2011.

Williams, 34, a part-time landscaper from Harbor Springs, was patrolling downtown Petoskey as Batman when a bunch of drunks chased him to the roof of a hardware store.

Police discovered him hanging from the ledge of the building and charged him with disturbing the peace.

The arrest made headlines around the state and Besso, 37, a factory inspector, invited Williams to a superhero patrol in Flint.

A year later Besso had his own legal troubles.

Armed with a 12-gauge shotgun, he was patrolling a Burton trailer park when he got into an argument with a resident revving his motorcycle after midnight. The two wrestled for control of the weapon, which discharged as they fell to the ground.

No one was injured.

Besso, who said he is a twice-divorced Iraq war veteran who receives counseling for anger issues, served 102 days in jail for attempted assault, according to court records.

He was criticized by other costumed crime fighters in Michigan and the rest of the country for bringing a gun on patrol.

One of the only people who defended him was Williams.

"We were brothers," Williams said. "I loved him as much as I love my own blood family."

When Besso got out of jail in 2012, he rejuvenated the dormant Michigan Protectors and became the de facto leader. But members of the team chafed under his guidance, saying Besso rarely consulted them and didn't like being second-guessed.

Several members wanted the more easygoing Williams to be co-leader but, when he approached Besso with the idea in October, Besso blew up.

Several weeks later, Williams announced to the group he had two girlfriends and hoped to bring them to a group dinner on Thanksgiving.

When Besso criticized Williams for having two girlfriends, Williams said Besso was a hypocrite because he had cheated on his fiancee.

Williams once meekly followed Besso. Now he says he wants to destroy him.

"It drives me insane," Williams said. "I will scream from the rooftops until Bee Sting is shown for what he truly is."

Wilson, Besso's fiancée, told Williams Besso is driving with a suspended license.

Besso confirmed his license has been suspended since his arrest in 2012. He said he can't afford the $850 cost of reinstatement and other fees, but needs to drive to keep his job.

He said his probation officer was aware of his driving, but a Department of Corrections official said it's a violation of his probation for the 2012 assault.

Wilson also told Williams that Besso used Wilson's social benefits card to buy food for the homeless. Besso confirmed he used the card for the homeless three or four times, spending $30 to $40 each time, along with $65 for the Detroit barbecue.

But a Department of Human Services official said only the cardholder is allowed to use the card and the food can't go to a third party.

Wilson said she wishes her fiancé would give up his superhero work.

"The whole superhero fascination has always eluded me," she said. "I think it's a whole mentality where he wants to be involved with something bigger than himself."

In October, Besso raised $671 in an online fundraiser for a Michigan Protectors' trip to Columbia, S.C., to protest the city's decision to outlaw homelessness.

Failing to get financing for a vehicle to transport the group, he postponed the trip and used $115 of the money for a trip to help the homeless in western Michigan in December.

He said group members and donors supported it, but several said they were never consulted.

"Adam is out of control," said Ellen Eberhardt, a donor and former group member from Flint.

In December Williams wrote on Facebook Besso didn't buy his children anything for Christmas but had bought presents for another woman's kids.

One of Williams' friends asked for Besso's address, saying she had friends who lived in his town.

"take him out back and shoot him," wrote Chandra Miller of Fort Myers, Fla.

Miller, contacted by a reporter, said she was serious about the threat but later changed her mind after talking with Besso.

It's sad that they don't realize this is exactly what the Joker wants them to do.   

[KRonn]

Lol, the Joker strikes again! 

[Darth Wagtaros]

The Legion of Doom has succeeded.

[Savonarola]

John Dingle not to seek re-election 

This is a sad day for all of America; after Dingle leaves we'll have no signatories of the Treaty of Ghent left in congress.   

[Phillip V]

John Dingle not to seek re-election 

This is a sad day for all of America; after Dingle leaves we'll have no signatories of the Treaty of Ghent left in congress.   

His wife Debbie Dingell is running to succeed him.
John Dingell's father held his seat before he followed in his footsteps. If Debbie Dingell wins and spends nine terms in office, a Dingell will have held the seat for 100 years.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/02/25/debbie-dingell-to-run-for-house-seat-being-vacated-by-john-dingell/

[Savonarola]

Before the beginning of the automobile industry Detroit was known as the "Paris of the Midwest."  Today it's the Calcutta of the Midwest:

Wayne Co. prosecutor details struggle to process rape kits

Detroit — Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy detailed for city officials Tuesday her ongoing effort to process more than 10,000 untested rape kits and discussed the challenges of running a "severely" underfunded and understaffed office.

Worthy appeared before Detroit's new City Council to familiarize members with her office's struggles and successes, including progress with the rape kits that were discovered in a Detroit Police storage facility in August 2009. So far, federal and state allocations — including several million dollars committed from the state last summer — have allowed the office to test about 1,600, she said.

Of those, a national DNA database has provided a match in about 50 percent of the cases, Worthy said. The kits will result in at least 3,000 prosecutable cases Worthy says and have enabled the prosecutor's office to identify almost 100 serial rapists who are linked to other sex crimes in nearly two dozen other jurisdictions.

Worthy has gained national attention for her pursuit of clearing the backlog of the cases, some of which date back 25 years and the statute of limitations has expired, so they couldn't be used at trial. But if the DNA evidence remains intact, Worthy said, it will be critical in matching serial rapists in Wayne County and across the country.

"We have over 100 people that have come to the city of Detroit, gotten away with rape and gone on to rape others," Worthy told the council. "Our rapists have gone to 21 other jurisdictions and raped again. It is not a Detroit-only problem. They have gone on to rape with impunity."

Worthy said it took nine months to sort through the kits and locate corresponding reports to create a database to prevent future cases from being lost. The problem, she said, was "not a Detroit problem," it's an international problem.

Each kit, Worthy added, cost about $1,200 to $1,500 to process. An overwhelming majority of the victims want to go forward to ensure their rape case is prosecuted, she said, adding the the process can last at least five years.

"It's not like television," Worthy told the council. " It doesn't take just a few seconds to test a rape kit for DNA. It's a very long process."

Worthy on Tuesday said Wayne County has not put a penny into prosecuting the cases, noting the latest deficit elimination plan ranks the kits as a "low priority."

The Wayne County Executive Office is looking to eliminate a $175 million cumulative deficit by next year. Part of the deficit elimination plan calls for a $1 million cost reduction by cutting "lower priority" and "non-funded operations" from the Prosecutor's Office. Proposed cuts include eliminating child care and removing county funding for investigations and prosecutions related to the sexual assault kits.

The Prosecutor's Office spent $34.1 million out of the general fund budget in fiscal year 2012, according to the executive office. Spending increased to $37.8 million from the general fund in 2013.

Worthy reiterated on Tuesday her frustration over staffing reductions.

"I have lost almost 90 staffers through budget cuts," Worthy said. "My office is half the size that it was, but we are expected to do the same work we've done before."

If Alex would have come from Detroit, "A Clockwork Orange" could have skipped all those depressing middle chapters.

[Savonarola]

New mystery in Pontiac: How could mummified body vote in 2010? 

Only the Detroit Free Press could find that inexplicable.     Obviously she suffers the curse of the mummy and is doomed to wander the earth every first Tuesday of November.

[Savonarola]

Driver severely beaten by men after car hits boy who ran into Detroit street

Christine Ferretti
The Detroit News

Detroit — A driver was clinging to life Wednesday after police said he struck an 11-year-old boy who stepped into the roadway and then was beaten by about a dozen people who gathered at the scene.

Detroit police Sgt. Michael Woody said the driver, a man believed to be about 54, hit the child on Morang around 4:10 p.m. and then left his vehicle to check on the boy.

Woody said that's when a group of about 12 men from the neighborhood who had gathered after the accident began to beat him.

"The male driver is now in critical condition and is still hanging on to his life," Woody said.

Woody said the driver was "absolutely not responsible."

"It caused some pretty major injuries," Woody said, adding those involved in the attack fled.

Both the boy and the driver were transported to St. John Hospital in Detroit. The boy was being treated for a broken leg and was expected to recover. The male driver remains listed in critical condition, Woody said.

A police investigation is ongoing, Woody said.

"We are asking anyone with information about who any of the 10 to 12 people might be to give us a call," Woody said.

Police are asking witnesses or others with details about the incident to call (313) 596-1616.

The apparent case of vigilante justice comes after a group of men last July on the city's southwest side attacked a man with a baseball bat as he walked on Vernor Highway. The man was believed to be responsible for the rape of a 15-year-old girl with Down syndrome.

In that case, a 43-year-old man, who also to suffers from a mental disability, was accused of luring the girl into his apartment and sexually assaulting her.

The incident enraged residents, who spray-painted the word "Rapist" on the building where the suspect lived and distributed his picture throughout the community.

Several weeks after the assault, a group of men, one wielding a baseball bat, beat the man as he walked down Vernor Highway.

The driver remains in a coma.  The child was okay, he didn't even have any broken bones.  The crowd also robbed the driver after they beat him.