In Memoriam: Miriam Makeba, Mama Africa, (1932-2008)

Miriam Makeba/Mamma Africa

The Circus In Detroit Continues! Kilpatrick Fiasco Unleashed By “Suspect” Judge!

In a startlingly turn of events early Thursday, Wayne County Circuit Judge Leonard Townsend, shockingly lifted the restrictive bond placed on Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, reversing the court-ordered decree by Judge Ronald Giles for the mayor to be placed on a tether and all travel privileges suspended. The ruling took the entire courtroom by surprise because visiting Judge Leonard Thompson was to preside over the arraignment and hearing of Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and former Chief of Staff Christine Beatty on perjury charges. Kilpatrick’s defense team had not filed an appeal with the court concerning Judge Giles’ ruling that suspended Mayor Kilpatrick’s traveling privledges and enforced a twenty-four hour monitoring of the mayor by an electronic tether.

Judge Townsend, however, rescinded that order and declared that the bond restrictions were “silly” and that the mayor is “innocent until found guilty.” In fact, the mayor himself admitted in court to Judge Giles that he was GUILTY of violating his bond making the remarks of Judge Townsend “suspect.” Assistant Prosecutor Lisa Lindsey vehemently exclaimed that two (2) previous judges had indeed found Kilpatrick “guilty of violating the conditions of his bond” and emphatically called out Judge Townsend on his legal right to terminate the bond restrictions put in place by Judge Giles without a “full-blown hearing complete with witnesses and testimony.” For her indignation at the court, Judge Townsend responded by condescendingly stating that Ms. Lindsey had “lost (her) composure.”

Judge Townsend reasoned that the bond restrictions on the mayor was “unfair” and biased because the mayor is “an important person.” Jude Townsend also made a point of commenting that the mayor should in fact be in attendance at the Democratic convention based on its’ “importance and significance” arguing that the mayor would not chose to jump or violate the conditions of his bond because “everyone will know where he is…in Denver at the Democratic Convention.”

Asst. Prosecutor Lisa Lindsey, one of four members on the team to prosecute Mayor Kilpatrick, informed the court that she was outraged by the decision and that the Prosecutor’s Office would indeed file an appeal immediately. The first round of the emergency appeal was filed and granted Thursday afternoon when a ruling overturned Judge Townsend’s order to remove the electronic tether from the person of the mayor.

The Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office released this statement late Thursday:

“Today the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office has filed an Emergency Motion To Review Pretrial Release with The Michigan Court of Appeals. The appeal is taken from the ruling of visiting Judge Leonard Townsend modifying Defendant Kwame Kilpatrick’s conditions of bond. Judge Townsend ruled that the defendant does not have to wear an electronic monitoring devise and that he may travel to the Democratic National Convention.”