Jury deliberations approach in five-month Kilpatrick corruption trial

DETROIT (WXYZ) - Over five months after the trial began, jurors in the Kilpatrick corruption trial will soon begin deliberating. Deliberation is expected to begin on Tuesday.

Jurors have listened to testimony from 87 witnesses. They've heard secret recordings and seen numerous other pieces of evidence.

It's evidence the defense attorneys insist proves nothing.

"We put our heart and soul into this case and we believe in what we're doing," said Bobby Ferguson's attorney, Mike Rataj.

"It's a challenging case for me, a challenging case for everybody. It's taken a lot of energy and effort," said Gerald Evelyn, another member of Ferguson's council.

Yesterday defense lawyers wrapped up closing arguments and attacked the credibility of government witnesses. They say their clients are innocent, that the government prosecuted due to public pressure. They say the jury has to see through it.

"They have to resist all the outside pressures that are out there and that have been brewing in this town for five, six, seven, eight years," said Rataj.

The prosecutors will get the last word when they present their rebuttal Friday morning. They say Detroit's former mayor was a bully who just tried to enrich his friends.

Prosecutor say Kwame Kilpatrick, father Bernard Kilpatrick and contractor friend Bobby Ferguson are guilty of corruption.