An aide to former Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick has pleaded guilty to criminal charges in federal court. It’s part of a case that alleges Kwame Kilpatrick and others turned city hall into a criminal enterprise.
Derrick Miller was the chief administrative officer in the Kilpatrick administration. As part of the deal he’s expected to cooperate with prosecutors.
Wayne State University Law Professor Peter Henning says as someone who was part of Kilpatrick’s inner circle, Miller offers the prosecution valuable information:
"To explain various transfers, how contracts were entered into, whether there were quid pro quo agreements because normally prosecutors have to make that case based on circumstantial evidence, but they always want someone who can say this is how it was structured, this is how it was operated."
Kilpatrick and Miller were indicted last December along with the former Mayor's father, Bernard Kilpatrick; Kilpatrick friend and city contractor Bobby Ferguson; and former Detroit Water and Sewerage Deaprtment head Victor Mercado. Prosecutors say Kilpatrick used his office to steer tens of millions of dollars in contracts to Ferguson, and also shook down other city contractors for bribes and kickbacks.
A tentative trial date for the remaining defendants is set for late next year.
See Miller's plea deal here.
