Kilpatrick's dad sentenced to 15 months in prison

By Ed White Associated Press DETROIT (AP) -- The father of former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick was ordered last Thursday to serve 15 months in federal prison for a tax crime, his lone conviction in a historic corruption trial that led to a 28-year sentence for his son. A jury last March acquitted or couldn't reach a verdict on more serious charges against Bernard Kilpatrick. But U.S. District Judge Nancy Edmunds made clear that she believes he was involved in many "acts of extortion that plagued" his son's years as mayor. Edmunds said she's sending a message that "greed and corruption will not be tolerated any longer." Kilpatrick, 72, began working as a consultant after Kwame Kilpatrick was elected mayor in 2001. With secret video and audio as evidence, the government accused him of shaking down contractors who wanted business from Detroit as part of the corrupt "Kilpatrick enterprise" at city hall. The jury convicted Kwame Kilpatrick and contractor Bobby Ferguson of racketeering conspiracy and many other major crimes but found Bernard Kilpatrick guilty only of not reporting $180,000 in income in 2005. "I have brought misery to my family," Bernard Kilpatrick told the judge. "This experience has humbled me. Bottom line, I messed up. No question about it." The sentence's length was at the bottom of the guideline, which called for 15 to 21 months. The guideline would have been higher, but Edmunds declined to count a $100,000 cash payment from a contractor as income. Although Kilpatrick may have spent the money, there was trial testimony that it was intended for Kwame Kilpatrick's campaign, Edmunds said. Defense attorney John Shea said Bernard Kilpatrick was a legitimate consultant, just like many former public officials who help people navigate through government. "There's nothing improper about that," Shea said. Bernard Kilpatrick owes at least $62,000 in taxes. He and his son hope to be assigned to a federal prison close to family in the Dallas area. Published: Mon, Oct 21, 2013