Detroit mayor faces investigation

DETROIT, Jan. 26 (UPI) -- A prosecutor plans to investigate whether Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and his chief of staff committed perjury when they lied about having an affair.

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy also said that she got a call from Kilpatrick on Friday, The Detroit News reported. The mayor promised to campaign for her when she seeks re-election, she said.

The News said that Kilpatrick allegedly arranged a secret deal to prevent text messages he exchanged with Christine Beatty from becoming public. Messages obtained this week by the Detroit Free Press showed that the two had a sexual relationship, the report said.

In one exchange, they also allegedly talked about arranging the dismissal of a police officer. He and another officer filed a lawsuit that cost Detroit $8.4 million.

In court testimony, Kilpatrick and Beatty denied having an affair or being involved in firing Deputy Police Chief Gary Brown.

Michael Stefani, a lawyer representing the police officers, confirmed to the newspaper that a confidential agreement on the text messages had been reached but refused to give details.

A judge, ruling on a motion in a Freedom of Information of Act suit on Friday, ordered SkyTel to preserve the mayor's text messages. SkyTel, a Mississippi company, provides Detroit's text-messaging service.