Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick wants public to pay $24,000 more to appeal conviction

2/17/2014

DETROIT — Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick is asking the public to pay $24,000 more for a second lawyer to appeal his corruption conviction and prison sentence.

Kilpatrick filed the request Friday with a federal appeals court.

According to defense lawyer Harold Gurewitz, a second lawyer is needed to review more than 12,000 pages of trial transcripts and provide legal research. He wants the appeals court to appoint an $80-hour associate for up to 300 hours of work.

The Detroit News reported Monday on Kilpatrick’s request.

Last week, it was disclosed that Kilpatrick’s total legal bill was $813,806, with 52 percent going to attorney James Thomas.

A jury found Kilpatrick guilty of racketeering and other charges in March. The 43-year-old is serving a 28-year sentence at a federal prison in Oklahoma.