Kilpatrick Jury is a mix of black, white, men and women - Los Angeles Local News, Weather, and Traffic

Kilpatrick Jury is a mix of black, white, men and women

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  • Elrick's take on the Kilpatrick Trial

  • Monday, March 25 2013 9:58 PM EDT2013-03-26 01:58:06 GMT
    The lead FBI agent on the Kilpatrick case spoke to the reporter that broke most of the stories about the former mayor's misdeeds.  Among the new information he unearthed is what the feds called their investigation.
    The lead FBI agent on the Kilpatrick case spoke to the reporter that broke most of the stories about the former mayor's misdeeds.  Among the new information M.L. Elrick unearthed is what the feds called their investigation.
  • Monday, March 11 2013 7:16 PM EDT2013-03-11 23:16:31 GMT
    Fox 2's M.L. Elrick was in the courtroom when Kwame Kilpatrick heard the words guilty over and over again.  He said the former mayor's "jaw dropped" as the verdict was read.
    Fox 2's M.L. Elrick has covered the Kilpatrick incorporated trial from gavel to gavel and was in the courtroom when Kwame Kilpatrick heard the words guilty over and over again.  He said the former mayor's "jaw dropped" as the verdict was read.
  • Thursday, March 7 2013 8:14 PM EST2013-03-08 01:14:46 GMT
    "That pay-to-play was horrible," said Detroit's mayor.  "That does not exist today."  So what's being done to make sure it doesn't happen again?  We went looking for answers, and you'll be surprised at what we found.
    "That pay-to-play was horrible," said Detroit Mayor Dave Bing.  "That does not exist today."  So what's being done to make sure it doesn't happen again?  We went looking for answers, and you'll be surprised at what we found.
DETROIT (WJBK) -

What a difference five days can make -- especially when you're trying to win a federal case.

On Friday defense attorneys said they had no problem, with prosecutors grilling potential jurors who are black.

But by Wednesday, they were calling it a disgrace.

Prosecutors kept about a half dozen black people from making the final cut for the Kilpatrick jury.

The feds said they were concerned about comments they had made, indicating a belief that the system was not fair to minorities, or that the disgraced former mayor had suffered enough.

Mike Rataj, the Defense attorney representing Bobby Ferguson, says he isn't buying it.  "The only thing I take away is how the government did everything they could to keep a person of color off the jury," says Rataj.

The judge disagreed, and swore in a jury with six whites, five blacks and one Hispanic. Nine of the jurors are women and three are men.

We'll be back in court Thursday, when the judge holds a hearing on the defense's motion to move the trial.

If that motion fails, opening statements will start on Friday.  On Monday, we'll hear our first testimony in the case, which is expect to last four months.

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