Charles Pugh (file photo)
Former City Council President Charles Pugh, who went from community leader to pariah with lightning speed after being accused of sexually exploiting a mentor relationship with a high school student, made a rare public appearance on Wednesday, The Detroit News reports.
He was in U.S. District Court in downtown Detroit, Robert Snell reports. His appearance came two years after resigning and skipping town under a cloud. He was under criminal investigation, but wasn't charged.
Pugh attended a pre-trial hearing in a lawsuit filed by the former high school student, who has accused him of abusing his authority as a mentor and offering cash for sex, Snell writes.
A trial, set for Oct. 13, could prove quite embarrassing to Pugh, whose private life is expected to be fodder for the student's attorney.
“It is what it is,” Pugh, 44, told The News during a brief break. “I’ll just say I don’t have a lot to say.”
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“I’ve been back a few times to see family and friends,” Pugh said when asked about returning to Detroit, according to Snell. “It’s interesting to see all of the progress happening in the city — the (M-1) Rail Line and the (hockey) arena.”
