FLIPSIDE - One black man into office and one ousted...

Almost three hours after the court hearing started, Kwame Kilpatrick had officially been sentenced to his 120 day stay at the Wayne county jail downtown Detroit. The lawyers argued back and forth, but to no avail, the mayor received the sentence that was prepared for him when he optioned to take a deal a couple months back.

With his signature smug arrogance, Kilpatrick seemed to be a man not on his way to prison, but a man who was going to be exonerated of all charges. In the beginning, even his wife joined in on a few chuckles and everything seemed to be just fine.

While Kilpatrick awaited his sentencing, lawyers from the City of Detroit argued that the firing of police officers and perjury were reasons why the sentence should be upheld, even though the court had received 19 letters asking for leniency on Kilpatrick’s sentence. Still, the firing of police officers and lying in court about an extra-marital affair don’t equate. The prior has yet to even be proven.

After apologizing to Detroiters and his wife for his extra-marital affairs and the perjury charges that subsequently followed, the mayor finds himself in a Wayne County Jail cell for 23 hours a day. The lone hour of recreation for the mayor is still an hour of solitude, whereas he is not allowed on the yard with the general population.

The small cell allows for a television, a phone for collect calls only, a toilet, shower and a view of the city he once lead. Visitation is limited and unless his lawyers argue otherwise, his children will not be able to visit during the 120 days.

I applaud the mayor for taking his punishment without bowing to the pressure of being a powerful black male in the public eye. I do, however, believe the punishment to be outlandish and over bearing for the situation, but then again, I’m no politician or criminal. Just a black man in Detroit. Catch ya’ on the FLIPSIDE.