Kwame Kilpatrick's Former Chief Of Staff Pleads Guilty To Obstruction Of Justice

December 1, 2008 11:45 a.m. EST

Detroit, MI (AHN) - Christine Beatty, who served as chief of staff to convicted former Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, pleaded guilty to two felony counts on Monday, according to the Detroit Free Press.

Beatty admitted before the court to two counts of obstructing justice. She said she "lied under oath" during the Whistleblower Trial, which involved a lawsuit against Kilpatrick filed by former Deputy Police Chief Gary Brown and police office and former Kilpatrick bodyguard Harold Nelthrope. The suit had accused Kilpatrick of retaliating against police officers investigating allegations of misconduct against him.

The trial, which ended in an $8.4 settlement for the two police officers, exposed sordid text messages that Kilpatrick and Beatty had sent one another during an extra-marital affair.

Beatty's official sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 5, 2009, but the guilty plea agreement she entered into on Monday will require her to serve 120 days in prison and pay a $100,000 fine.

Kilpatrick is currently serving a four-month sentence. His resignation as mayor became effective on Sept. 18, two weeks after he pleaded guilty to two counts of obstruction of justice. Kilpatrick had faced 10 felony charges in two criminal cases. He was indicted on eight felony charges including perjury in March after the text messages were revealed. The 38-year old son of U.S. Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (D-MI) was also charged with two counts of assault after he allegedly tried to stop a sheriff's deputy from serving a subpoena on July 24.