Jury adviser sought in Detroit corruption case

DETROIT (AP) -- A defense lawyer involved in the corruption case against former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick wants taxpayers to pay up to $2,400 for a jury consultant. The Detroit News says John Minock asked late last Thursday for court approval to hire a $100-an-hour jury consultant for up to 24 hours. The expense is in addition to taxpayer-funded legal teams for Kilpatrick, his father, Bernard Kilpatrick, and ex-Detroit water boss Victor Mercado. All have pleaded not guilty. Minock, Mercado's lawyer, says Mercado, who was paid $230,000 as head of the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, is indigent. Kilpatrick was released from a Michigan prison in August 2011 after serving just over a year for violating probation in the 2008 criminal case. The trial is scheduled to being Sept. 6. Published: Mon, Aug 6, 2012