Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and chief of staff Christine Beatty were both charged with perjury after they lied under oath after being questioned about a possible affair between them from 2001 to 2003.
The affair became the focal point of a case that involved a lawsuit by two police officers, Deputy Police Chief Gary Brown and former mayoral police bodyguard Harold Nelthrope.
The officers charged that they were followed due to their involvement in an internal investigation that threatened to expose unlawful or unethical conduct by the mayor, including his affair with Beatty. The trial cost the city over $9 million.
The Detroit Free Press discovered text messages that showed that both Kilpatrick and Beatty lied about their affair. The messages covered topics that ranged from "American Idol" to explicit details about their affair.
Kilpatrick and Beatty, both 37, exchanged personal text messages almost daily, including romantic notes.
“I’m madly in love with you,” Kilpatrick wrote on Oct. 3, 2002. “I hope you feel that way for a long time,” Beatty answered. “In case you haven’t noticed, I am madly in love with you, too!”
Other texts contained sexual content, such as their exchange on April 8, 2003. “And, did you miss me, sexually?” asked Beatty. Kilpatrick responded, “Hell yeah! You couldn’t tell. I want some more.”
Kilpatrick issued a statement Wednesday, saying that the text messages were during a time when he and his wife Carlita were having internal marital issues that have seen been resolved. He apologized to Beatty and her children for the negative attention.
Kilpatrick and Beatty could face up to 15 years for the perjury charges.
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