  Lodgedodger Member Username: Lodgedodger Post Number: 1644 Registered: 05-2008 |
Monday, March 9, 2009 Kilpatrick wants $100M from Skytel David Josar / The Detroit News DETROIT -- Attorneys for Kwame Kilpatrick have asked Skytel Communication Inc. for $100 million in damages, alleging the company violated the privacy and constitutional rights of the former mayor when they released the text messages that led to the settlement of the whistle-blower lawsuit. "Everyone is entitled to privacy as given to us by the U.S. Constitution and other laws that govern this great nation," Willie Gary, the Florida attorney who is working with Kilpatrick's local attorney, James C. Thomas, said in a statement released shortly after 5 p.m. "My client's constitutional rights have been violated in the worst of ways, and we are merely seeking justice. We aren't asking for any favoritism, we just want justice," Gary continued. Skytel could not be immediately reached for comment. Kilpatrick remains on probation after he pleaded guilty to two counts of obstruction of justice related to perjury in the whistleblowers lawsuit filed by two former Detroit cops. In the press release, which came out the same day hundreds of more text message related to the scandal were made public, Kilpatrick's legal team claims that Skytel violated various state and federal statutes including the Stored Communications Act by unlawfully releasing the text messages in connection with litigation from the 2003 time period. Gary won $240 million jury verdict in Orange County against the Walt Disney Corporation for his clients who alleged Disney stole their idea for a sports theme park. ------------------------------ ------------ What a POS... | ||
Mrsjdaniels Member Username: Mrsjdaniels Post Number: 1334 Registered: 08-2005 |
boy I tell you what...this mofo. we own those texts...can we sue him for something? | ||
Detroitnerd Member Username: Detroitnerd Post Number: 3618 Registered: 07-2004 |
Still trying to game the system. Big surprise ... | ||
Chrissy_snow Member Username: Chrissy_snow Post Number: 507 Registered: 07-2008 |
How could Skytel have violated the Stored Communications Act when it was deemed by several higher courts of law to not apply to these text messages? | ||
Leannam1989 Member Username: Leannam1989 Post Number: 213 Registered: 06-2008 |
I'm gonna throw up. Kwame, no one cares about a felon's privacy or dignity, and it's not worth $100 million. | ||
Bobl Member Username: Bobl Post Number: 623 Registered: 07-2008 |
Let's demand 100 million dollars from the felon for embarrassment and violation of our right to equal and fair representation under law. The felon has destroyed the reputation of the city and cost the citizens millions of dollars. The paltry settlement of last September, which has not been paid, does not begin to reimburse the citizens. If by chance he wins a settlement with Skytel, the cash can then be seized by Detroit. Another pipe dream from Bobl... | ||
Crosswordgirl Member Username: Crosswordgirl Post Number: 487 Registered: 08-2008 |
really........is anyone surprised? Kwame is countering with the "Perpetual Victim Act". (Message edited by crosswordgirl on March 09, 2009) | ||
English Member Username: English Post Number: 482 Registered: 10-2003 |
He might actually win. I don't get why more texts were released anyway. We spent all of 2008 dealing with the KMK drama. This does nothing to help the city move on. | ||
Leland_palmer Member Username: Leland_palmer Post Number: 553 Registered: 08-2004 |
But wait. I thought those texts weren't his? | ||
Ravine Member Username: Ravine Post Number: 3115 Registered: 01-2006 |
Leland, yerright. If I remember correctly, a large part of the reason why privacy-related challenges to the release of the texts would not fly was that, with the assertion that the texts may have not come from them, the concerned parties had essentially deep-sixed any slim chance for claiming privacy invasion. | ||
Fnemecek Member Username: Fnemecek Post Number: 1960 Registered: 12-2004 |
quote: It's called a subpoena. SkyTel was ordered to produce those text by the court in connection with the Brown whistle blower case. | ||
Rhymeswithrawk Member Username: Rhymeswithrawk Post Number: 1760 Registered: 11-2005 |
So, basically, Kilpatrick wants SkyTel to pay for his mistakes. | ||
Lilpup Member Username: Lilpup Post Number: 5387 Registered: 06-2004 |
It will boil down to technicalities: Did the courts, Worthy's office, Skytel, and others jump through all the proper hoops during this saga or not? Is Skytel confident enough that they did in order to go to court about it or will they settle KK's claim out of court? Hopefully Skytel is willing to go to court instead of rolling over but businesses usually prefer to make stuff like this go away quickly. | ||
Daddeeo Member Username: Daddeeo Post Number: 541 Registered: 09-2008 |
I guess this attorney hopes to strike lighting. He must be taking this on a possible commission. I thought Kwame was broke. Where is all the money coming from for that Texas house in the 'burbs? | ||
English Member Username: English Post Number: 483 Registered: 10-2003 |
"It's called a subpoena. SkyTel was ordered to produce those text by the court in connection with the Brown whistle blower case." That doesn't answer my question. Why release these to the general public? There's nothing in the latest texts that wasn't in the texts from last year. Unless there's direct evidence about something we don't know or that is unconfirmed, we don't need more about the Tragedy of Kwame Kilpatrick... not when we've got a CURRENT tragedy in our city government. This is so very 2008... and at least 2,000 Dow Jones points ago. | ||
Angry_dad Member Username: Angry_dad Post Number: 337 Registered: 02-2006 |
Hope Kwame Mommie hired Johnnie Cochran (or how ever she spelled it) for this case. Where is the money coming from? Think mom wants her kid here? http://www.williegary.com/index1.html (Message edited by angry dad on March 09, 2009) | ||
Rhymeswithrawk Member Username: Rhymeswithrawk Post Number: 1761 Registered: 11-2005 |
Cochran died in 2005. | ||
Angry_dad Member Username: Angry_dad Post Number: 338 Registered: 02-2006 |
Cochran's perfect for Kwame (yeah I knew he was dead) | ||
Benfield Member Username: Benfield Post Number: 116 Registered: 06-2008 |
I know this may be hard to believe but sometimes doing the right thing isn't always about "helping the city move on." There is an important legal issue at stake here about open government and who owns this kind of record. Kilpatrick and Beatty asserted that these records were privileged and personal communication. The Free Press argued that the transcript of the text messages were an official government record subject to FOIA disclosure. The Judge agreed. Releasing these messages sets an important precedent about open government and will make it difficult for future politicians to conceal the public record for the legal owners of that record, the citizenry. The issue of "helping the city move on" is irrelevant. | ||
English Member Username: English Post Number: 485 Registered: 10-2003 |
^"The issue of "helping the city move on" is irrelevant." Sigh. When we were going through this last year, everyone said if we just got Kwame out of office, we could move on! Apparently not. I just wish some in the region would admit that they're addicted to the drama. Certain elected officials engage in this kind of theatre, and I suppose it helps us to get our minds off our depleted assets and rotten-to-the-core society by airing more of the Great Detroit Love Affair. That's the biggest problem with this city. We never, EVER look forward. It's like we're permanently stuck on reverse, constantly looking at the past. But mind you, it is a SELECTIVE look at the past. We accentuate the negative, ignore the positive, and thus perpetuate a vicious cycle. I followed this stuff while Kwame was mayor, but now, I want to know more about what is wrong with our current Council. I'd be more interested in this release if there were more CHARGES pending, especially in the case of poor Tamara Greene. If there's not, then if we haven't established "an important legal issue at stake here about open government and who owns this kind of record" after the text messages were released last year, I'm not so sure this will do it. | ||
Foxyscholar Member Username: Foxyscholar Post Number: 304 Registered: 12-2007 |
I agree with English's post about the N-word derivative and Benfield's post about governmental transparency. How about this: how can it be known what's in the text messages unless they are made public? Those amongst the general public are other lawyers in addition to the Greene family's lawyer, others who may have been affected by the events at hand, etc. Theoretically, if the right, incriminating thing is found in the text messages, maybe another lawsuit could occur. Yes, these messages are juicy, titilating, sad, pitiful, pathetic, bizarre, but these text messages happened on city-owned equipment during city work time about city work business (including some of the sexy textin' LOL!) so the public has a right to see what they paid for.... | ||
English Member Username: English Post Number: 487 Registered: 10-2003 |
OK, y'all... sighing again... I just feel as if this is a big distraction until and unless Federal charges are pressed, or something comes up for Tamara Greene's son. But I see I'm in the minority, and I gave up my right for a direct say back in '05. So I'll leave it alone! Have at it!  | ||
Baselinepunk Member Username: Baselinepunk Post Number: 137 Registered: 03-2007 |
Kwame needs cash ... he's hitting up Skytel high and hoping for a settlement. Pure cheese ... plain and simple ... | ||
Kevgoblu Member Username: Kevgoblu Post Number: 202 Registered: 02-2007 |
"I know this may be hard to believe but sometimes doing the right thing isn't always about "helping the city move on." There is an important legal issue at stake here about open government and who owns this kind of record." As long as some high profile attorney representing the U.S. Public vs. the George Bush Administration is taking this all in, I agree. Otherwise, its just a bunch of voyers gettin' off imagining Kwame & Christine. | ||
Timmyjohn Member Username: Timmyjohn Post Number: 19 Registered: 01-2008 |
Was he useing a city phone or his personal phone? | ||
Bragaboutme Member Username: Bragaboutme Post Number: 625 Registered: 02-2008 |
How can you move forward when KK is still trying to make money off of this scandal? KK should drop the lawsuit then this City can move forward, until then he keeps holding us hostage with his BS. What I don't understand is people call for transparancy in Government then when they get it they get tired of it. Until he pays the City back, he's still holding the City back. KK will never be the victim in my eyes. I think there's enough evidence for Yatooma to convince a jury that KK tried to block the Tamara Green investigation just off the back and forth between him and the judge. I think that will be justice for her son, but again at the citys' expence. | ||
Thejesus Member Username: Thejesus Post Number: 3765 Registered: 06-2008 |
http://www.williegary.com/inde x1.html check out his private jet under "media" | ||
Trstar Member Username: Trstar Post Number: 43 Registered: 05-2007 |
He can't sue, he has no standing. The CITY can sue for improper release of the documents. KK is no longer the mayor. | ||
Scooter2k7 Member Username: Scooter2k7 Post Number: 220 Registered: 10-2007 |
Wow, just when you think Kwame Kilpatrick cannot sink any lower into corruption he does something to keep the faith alive. It is almost a contest now between Monica Conyers vs Kwame Kilpatrick. Who can be more corrupt and down right dispicable? God only knows what these crooks next act will be. | ||
Cloud_wall Member Username: Cloud_wall Post Number: 31 Registered: 02-2009 |
Everyone with sure answers on this should read the Stored Communications Act. That thing is an unholy mess. I will be more interested to see what Mayer Morganroth does on Christine Beatty's behalf in the next months. That's who I would be worried about if I was at SkyTel. Hopefully Kwame settles for the exact amount of the judgment against him, plus a few dollars for Willie Gary's philanthropic pursuits. |
