After co-conspirators Kwame Kilpatrick and Bobby Ferguson were sentenced to 20+ years in federal prison last week, Bernard Kilpatrick, the father of the ex-mayor.
Bernard Kilpatrick was convicted on just one count of tax evasion during the Kilpatrick Enterprise trial that concluded earlier this year. Unlike his son and Ferguson, Bernard has been free on bond since the verdict. His lawyers are seeking probation while prosecutors are asking for a 27-33 month sentence.
WDIV: The defense team says Bernard, who has the nickname "killer" on the streets of Detroit, could die if he is placed in prison saying, "Research relating to mortality rates of elderly prisoners who enter a prison environment later in life suggests that those rates are significantly higher for this specific population."
Kilpatrick acquitted of attempted extortion and the jury couldn't reach a unanimous verdict on a racketeering charge against him..
In court filings on Wednesday, the government stated:
This collection of testimony showed that Bernard Kilpatrick was not a legitimate consultant. He was a criminal—leveraging his son’s elected office to shake down city contractors like Karl Kado.
