Who is Kwame Kilpatrick's wife Carlita? Trump grants clemency to ex Detroit Mayor whose wife attacked exotic dancer
President Donald Trump has commuted the prison sentence of former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, who is currently serving a sentence for his role in several felonies. The White House revealed in the statement that the president commuted Kilpatrick’s sentence, and the members of the Detroit community has widely supported the decision.
“President Trump commuted the sentence of the former Mayor of Detroit, Kwame Malik Kilpatrick,” according to the White House. "Mr. Kilpatrick has served approximately 7 years in prison for his role in a racketeering and bribery scheme while he held public office. During his incarceration, Mr. Kilpatrick has taught public speaking classes and has led Bible Study groups with his fellow inmates.”
Carlita Kilpatrick's troubled life
When Kilpatrick served his sentence, his wife, Carlita Kilpatrick, faced some of the worst times of her life. She reportedly lost her job and her lease on the family’s 5,000-square-foot home in Dallas. In 2016, Carlita talked about her life at the National Prison Summit on Mass Incarceration. The said forum was designed for those trying to restore their lives after prison. The forum’s main motive was to inspire those who are left behind as their family members are serving some time in prison.
“Being a mom is who I am. And so, even in the midst of whatever I might have been going through, be it depression or isolation or shame or humiliation, my boys were always very active. They played basketball, they played football, and so I was at every game. I came. I cheered them on,” she said back then.
Kwame Kilpatrick's controversial life
Kilpatrick was the Democratic representative of the Michigan state from 1997 to 2002 before becoming the mayor of Detroit. It was reported in 2002 that Kilpatrick had held a party involving strippers. As per several reports, former Executive Protection Unit members and the mayor’s police security detail alleged that Kilpatrick’s wife, Carlita Kilpatrick, came home to Kipatrick’s surprise and physically attacked an exotic dancer. However, Michigan State Police found no evidence that the alleged party took place.
Everything changed unexpectedly when a 27-year-old exotic dancer, Tamara Greene, who went by the name ‘Strawberry,’ was found dead. She was shot multiple times with a .40 caliber Glock pistol, as per reports. At the time, Greene was the same model allegedly assaulted by Carlita. Greene’s family later filed a lawsuit against Detroit City for a whopping $150 million, claiming she was murdered to prevent her testimony about the alleged mansion party.
Apart from this, Kilpatrick used his power to funnel state grant money to two organizations. The groups in question were run by Kipatrick’s friends and agreed to subcontract work to U.N.I.T.E., a company owned by Kilpatrick's wife, Carlita. As per reports, Carlita was the only employee at the firm and received somewhere around $175,000 from the two organizations.
In 2008, Kilpatrick was charged with eight felony counts, including misconduct in office, obstruction of justice, and perjury. Later in September 2008, he announced his resignation as a mayor, following a guilty plea to two felonies to obstruct justice. The 50-year-old Kilpatrick was sentenced in 2013 on two dozen counts of using his positions as mayor to carry out decade-long criminal activities that involved bribery, conspiracy, fraud, and extortion. He has been incarcerated at a low-security prison in Oakdale, Louisiana, where he was set to be released on January 18, 2037. However, after getting clemency from Trump, he will be released 16 years before the due date.