Prosecutors now focusing on Carlita Kilpatrick

Now we’re getting some action!

Federal prosecutors are now setting their sights on Carlita Kilpatrick, or specifically, a non-profit organization she ran called U.N.I.T.E.

The purpose of this organization was, in theory, to help educate children in the city of Detroit. However, prosecutors claim that once State grants were given to the organization, Carlita Kilpatrick did nothing more than pocket the money.

Prosecutors shared one instance where the organization received $137,000 in grants, of which $91,000 collected as a salary! Whoa! Talk about a red flag.

Also interesting to note in this part of the trial is that supposedly some of the grant money was funneled through a non-profit organization called Vanguard, which was controlled by Kwame Kilpatrick’s ex-Pastor, Bishop Edgar Vann.

Although we are all innocent until proven guilty, the Kilpatrick Klan is not looking too good at the moment. If all of this is true, it is shameful that money given in the form of grants to help children ended up in someone’s greedy pockets. How can you look at yourself in the mirror every day?

Many people are wondering why Carlita was not brought up on charges as well. Maybe the Feds surmised that she has been through enough hell already by finding out about the illicit affair her husband was involved in with Christine Beatty.

In any event, if the Feds don’t get you, you’ll have to answer to God on the other side. This saga is getting uglier by the day, and we’re only through one week of testimony.

Let the action continue!

S.Ray Harris, CEO

Live From Detroit

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Money in the shoe

Money in the shoe!

Kwame. Really? Your shoe?

Damn. I wish I had that much loot where I can summon a member of my security team to go over my house; go into my closet; get a wad of bills from my shoe; and take it to MY bank in order to pay a credit card bill!

I guess I’m in the wrong business.

The business I’m referring to is what Kwame and three other defendants are being charged with by the Feds. Bribery, racketeering, extortion and tax evasion are the charges facing Kwame, his father Bernard, best bud Bobby Ferguson, and Victor Mercado.

How about this from your typical sleaze-ball defense attorney …. In this case, Jim Thomas:  (Paraphrasing) “This could be money that Kwame has saved for years and hid the money under the bed or in his shoe”? Really, Jim.  $500,000.00? Or as the youngsters on the streets would say …. “five hundred stacks”!

Even after one day of testimony, you can see how this case is going. Kwame and his team will try and convince the jury that there is nothing illegal about receiving “gifts” from wealthy friends. The Feds will try prove that the money didn’t come without Kwame giving something in return, and that is contracts up the azz.

The real live reality TV show (even though we can’t even see it), will have Detroiters watching the news and reading the papers intently for the next four months. By the way, don’t think that the Freep and the News do not love this action! Everyone in Detroit has an opinion, which will have the Detroit area barber shops abound with comments about this case.

In the end, it will be up to 12 jurors to decide Kwame and Kompany’s fate. Is Kwame just being brought down by “Da Man”, or is he really being brought down by his boy “De Dan?” In will be interesting indeed as we move forward.

In your shoe? C’mon, Kwame! Really?

S.Ray Harris, CEO

Live From Detroit

contact@livefromdetroit.biz

http://livefromdetroit.biz/blog/

Westland killed execution style

So Sad.

No one, white or black, is immune from the devastating violence that is permeating our once proud city.

I have been reading posts from the Detroit News and the Detroit Free Press, and what I have found is really pathetic. All you see is white folks blaming ALL of the black folks for this terrible tragedy, and black folks telling white folks that these boys basically got what they deserved by crossing the imaginary white/black line.

What is this world coming to? Specifically, what is our region coming to?

These two young men did not deserve to die in this manner. Just like the many black kids who are gunned down every day, a precious lives are being lost over silly and material things. Two young men stripped of their clothing; made to kneel to the ground as if they’re in prayer; then getting a bullet put into the back of their heads? Really.

Our society has really gone in the toilet. Who can we blame? Whites … blacks….government….parents….cable TV….video games? People in the Detroit are living in virtual prisons….in their own homes. If you come outside of your home, you are basically risking your life. Violent crime is increasing at the same time that police reserves are decreasing.

What are the solutions? It’s getting to a point of hopelessness in the city. Don’t be surprise if Gov. Rick Snyder sends in the National Guard at some point to try and restore some semblance of order in this city.

Two more lives gunned down. Shameful.

S.Ray Harris, CEO
Live From Detroit
www.livefromdetroit.biz/blog/

'Detroit, we are in trouble'

‘Detroit, we are in trouble’

‘Detroit, we are in trouble’

The above titled caption is what Sheila Shaver, mother of 23 year old Wyman Shaver III said after her son was brutally murdered on Detroit’s east side. Shaver was killed by two young thugs who took his vehicle, even though Shaver voluntarily gave them the keys.

Eighteen year old Trenton Shell, and 19 year old Victor Newell (pictured above), both face life in prison for this brutal murder.

The grieving Ms. Shaver is absolutely correct. Detroit is indeed in serious trouble when it comes to violent crime. Detroit has seen so much of this type activity that citizens have become immune to it. Criminals such as Newell and Shell are running rampant throughout the streets where lawlessness seems to rule.

By all accounts, Shaver III was a young father who had aspirations of being a nurse and owning his own towing company. He was one of the dwindling few young men of this city who wanted to live his life the right way. However, with one pull of the trigger, he is no longer here to fulfill his dreams.

Does Michigan need to incorporate the death penalty? Would that be a deterrent to the escalating violence in our communities? Something drastic needs to be done here, or Detroit could become the Damascus, Syria of the West.
This generation of children are living in a sea of hopelessness. Violence seems to be their only way of solving everyday issues. And looking through my crystal ball, there seems to be no end in sight.
Detroit, we are in trouble.

S.Ray Harris
Live From Detroit
http://livefromdetroit.biz/blog/

Bobby Ferguson hires new attorney

Although Bobby Ferguson and his local lawyers were able to come out of the bid-rigging trial with a hung jury, Ferguson is still feeling the heat. He has hired high profile attorney Susan Van Dusen, who is the attorney who represented purported mob boss John Gotti (who died in prison!) Van Dusen will be a part of Ferguson’s legal team in the Kwame Kilpatrick racketeering case coming up in September.

Make no mistake about it. Gerald Evelyn, Ferguson’s lead attorney for the bid-rigging, is an excellent attorney in his own right. However, Ferguson knows that he has to hire a top-of-the-line attorney such as Van Dusen to help him get out of this hole he has dug himself in.
The bid-rigging case has been scheduled to be tried again with a date of August 21^st. That date will probably be pushed back because of the pending September trial for the racketeering case.  The bid-rigging case will pale in comparison with what Ferguson has coming to him in September.

Where there’s smoke, there’s usually fire. Ferguson was a major player in the Kilpatrick administration when it comes to securing contracts for large commercial projects. He and Kilpatrick had “keys to the city”. The keys I’m referring to opens the treasure chest that is called the Detroit Building Authority, where many commercial contracts are won or lost.

This is only my opinion, and Ferguson and Kilpatrick will get their day in court to prove me wrong. However, if you would actually take a poll of Detroiters, they will tell you that they think Ferguson, Kilpatrick, his dad and Victor Mercardo, are probably going to prison.

When that day comes, just drop off the key at City Hall.

S.Ray Harris
Live From Detroit
http://livefromdetroit.biz/blog/

Another Detroit Lion Arrested!

Another one bites the dust!

Has the Detroit Lions become the Cincinnati Bengals of the NFL? From Johnny Culbreath, to Mikel Leshoure, to Nick Fairley, and now Aaron Berry.

All of these players have been busted by the police for either DUI convictions, or possession of marijuana convictions. In Leshoure’s case, he had the audacity to try and stuff the marijuana down his throat as the cops approached his vehicle.

When will the time come when Detroit Lions upper-management drops the hammer and makes an example out of one of these millionaire players? In my opinion, it will probably never happen because it’s all about the W’s baby! W’s is short for winning, and winning takes precedence over any and everything in most instances.

The Detroit Lions finally has a team worthy of watching after returning from church service on Sundays. They are one of the up and coming teams in the NFL. Cutting one or more of these players will interrupt their ambition of making the playoffs this year and “possibly” making a run at a Super Bowl. Leshoure, Fairley and Berry are key components to this team, and cutting them is not an option.

Is it just a matter of these players thinking that they are above the law? Many people think this is probably the case. Is it the player’s fault, or is it our fault (the fans), who put these players on a pedestal, and also draw a blind eye to the fact that they are only human just like the rest of us.

The upcoming season has just become even more interesting than before. The Lions will either come closer together as a group because of these unfortunate incidents, or they will crash and burn because of the distractions that it will surely bring.

Stay tuned!

S.Ray Harris

Live From Detroit

http://www.livefromdetroit.biz

Despite murder, Detroit 300 will continue their mission

Marcel Jackson, a 39 year old devoted father of six children, was ferociously gunned down by some coward who was inside of a downtown club beating on a woman. Jackson evicted the man, who returned at about 3:15 in the morning and gunned down Jackson outside of the club. Jackson was working as a bouncer at the downtown night club.

Senseless killings such as these are starting to mount in the City of Detroit. The Detroit 300, a non-profit organization committed to taking back the streets of this city, are still committed to their mission, which is summarized as follows:  Our sole focus is to help communities organize to eradicate crime by policing targeted areas and collectively pursuing individuals who wreak havoc, mayhem, and terror therein (eg., murder, shootings, rape, burglary, robbery, assault & battery, burning of dwellings and stripping of homes.

Something as senseless as this may cause some organizations to give up the fight. But not the Detroit 300. They are more motivated than ever, especially now that one of their own has been gunned down by one of the very cowardly punks that are trying to eradicate from these violent streets.

The membership in this group of citizens, community organizations and civic groups is continually growing. Raphael B. Johnson, who is one of the founding members along with Pulitzer Prize winner Angelo Henderson, and Minister Malik Shabaaz, won’t let this one incident deter from their mission. Citizens of this city are tired of the violence that seems to be growing by each hot summer day.

We at Live From Detroit implore the Detroit 300 to keep your mission in the forefront of everyone’s minds in this city. For those who would like to join the Detroit 300, please visit their website at http://www.thedetroit300.org/about.html

Live From Detroit Staff

http://www.livefromdetroit.biz

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