Ex-mayor could get tougher probation — or prison term
BY JOE SWICKARD – FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
Kwame Kilpatrick faces the entire array of potential punishments today, from a shorter leash all the way to years behind prison walls, if Wayne County Circuit Judge David Groner finds the former Detroit mayor violated his probation.
And, as in almost every stage of Kilpatrick’s criminal case, it could mean a trip to the appellate courts.
But even if Groner orders Kilpatrick to do hard time, that doesn’t mean he would leave the court in handcuffs. Kilpatrick might be allowed to stay out for a period of time to get his affairs in order. And the judge might order him to post a cash bond.
Under state law, circuit court judges have wide latitude in assessing punishment for probation violations.
The least severe of Groner’s options could be tightening Kilpatrick’s probation conditions — increasing reporting requirements or limiting travel, for example — without putting him back behind bars.
But Groner could revoke Kilpatrick’s probation and order him to serve a period of incarceration.
