Federal judge gets update in Kilpatrick fraud case

DETROIT (AP) -- Lawyers defending ex-Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick on federal fraud and tax charges say they're plowing through thousands of documents turned over by prosecutors.

James Thomas says it's likely to "dwarfed" by what's still to come. Joined by prosecutors, Thomas and a co-counsel met with a judge Tuesday to discuss the case.

Kilpatrick is accused of turning the Civic Fund charity into a slush fund while he was in office.

The next hearing is Jan. 10, but prosecutor Mike Bullotta says "there may be relevant intervening events" that could force a change. He didn't elaborate.

It wasn't necessary for Kilpatrick to be in court. Thomas says there's another reason: The ex-mayor could lose his bed at Milan prison where he's serving a sentence in a state case.

Published: Thu, Sep 16, 2010