DETROIT (WXYZ) - Ex-Kwame Kilpatrick aide Christine Beatty is beginning her sentence for her role in the text messaging scandal that rocked the city for almost a year.
Beatty will serve her time in the women's ward of the jail. She has been sentenced to serve 120 days in jail for lying on the stand in the whistleblower case. She previously agreed to the terms in exchange for pleading guilty to obstruction of justice. She will also serve five years of probation and pay $100,000 to the city of Detroit.
WATCH ENTIRE SENTENCING IN THE VIDEO PLAYER ON THE RIGHT
WXYZ.com Contributor: Jack Johansson
In contrast to the crowd gathered in the courtroom for the sentencing of Mayor Kilpatrick, those who watched this sentencing were very subdued. It was very, very quiet. There was little or no reaction. At the judge's invitation, Ms. Beatty stood up and declined to speak.
As the judge completed Beatty's sentence, she was ushered to the bench where she signed papers. She was escorted from the courtroom after the sentencing. As she left she looked back and her supporters and they all raised a hand in unison as a show of support.
During the hearing, the prosecution asked for a restitution hearing to better assess Ms. Beatty's financial situation. They point to the recent purchase of a $4,381.14 rug on a payment plan as a reason to review her financial situation.
Beatty's attorney, Mayer Morganroth, spoke about Ms. Beatty's finances telling the judge she has tried to return her 2008 Range Rover to the dealer, but the dealer has refused. Morganroth says Beatty has about 6 dollars in the bank, and owes a "monumental" amount of money.
Judge Timothy Kenny says he is willing to hold a restitution hearing, but not until October, allowing her to get out of jail, get a job, then an accurate assessment can be made of her ability to pay restitution.
Before today's proceedings began, a large crowd gathered outside the courtroom, awaiting Beatty's arrival.
Inside, six video cameras lined up in the jury box to capture the proceedings.
Beatty’s former boss and ex-lover, Kwame Kilpatrick, is serving 120 days in an isolated, VIP cell at the downtown jail and faces $1-million restitution after pleading guilty in September for lying under oath in the whistle-blower case.
On Jan. 23, 2008, the Detroit Free Press published scandalous text messages sent by Beatty and Kilpatrick on city-issued pagers.
The messages showed the pair lied under oath in a Detroit police whistle-blower case when they denied a sexual affair and sought to mislead jurors about the firing of deputy chief Gary Brown, whose career was ended by Beatty's and Kilpatrick's actions.
