Kwame Kilpatrick started having problems around the time of the so-called “Manoogian Mansion Party” in the fall of 2002. As with most mansion parties, Kilpatrick and his fellow partygoers invited dancers to the party — and all was going well until Kilpatrick’s wife came home and physically attacked a dancer. An investigation was launched, and Michigan Attorney General Cox and the Michigan State Police found no evidence that the party took place.

Then, two Internal Affairs officers — Harold C. Nelthrope and Gary Brown — claimed they were fired in retaliation. They successfully sued the city and were the subjects of a smear campaign headed by Kilpatrick’s team.

Then, according to Click on Detroit, the dancer was killed.

Things continued getting messy for Kwame Kilpatrick — all thanks to this mansion party — and he was ultimately charged with perjury, misconduct in office, and obstruction of justice.

In September 2008, Kilpatrick pled guilty to two felony counts of obstruction of justice and pleaded no contest to assaulting the deputy. As part of the plea agreement, he agreed to serve four months in the Wayne County Jail, pay one million dollars of restitution to the city of Detroit, surrender his license to practice law, five years probation, and not run for public office during his probation period. He also was required to resign as mayor of Detroit and surrender his state pension from his six years’ service in the Michigan House of Representatives before being elected mayor. Kilpatrick admitted that he lied under oath several times.

On Jan. 20, 2021, Donald Trump commuted Kilpatrick’s sentence. According to the press release, the move was supported by Diamond and Silk & Pastor Paula White.

Kwame Kilpatrick

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