Kilpatrick defense opposing text messages

DETROIT, July 3 (UPI) -- Lawyers for Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick are attempting to stop certain text messages from being used in his trial, court filings show.

The Detroit News said Kilpatrick attorney James Thomas is at the center of an attempt to convince Judge Ronald Giles not to allow text messages involving the mayor as evidence in Kilpatrick's ongoing corruption trial.

Mayer Morganroth, the attorney for former Detroit Chief of Staff Christine Beatty, said the text messages could be misconstrued in the media if allowed into evidence in the trial of his client and Kilpatrick.

"The messages will undoubtedly be widely revealed in the media," he said. "Such hasty public release of the alleged text (messages) prior to any finding that such text (messages) are admissible at all will deprive defendants of their right to a fair trial."

The defense lawyers have argued the messages should be inadmissible since the actual parties behind the messages cannot be validated, the newspaper said.

Kilpatrick and Beatty are facing various felony charges ranging from perjury to obstruction of office in connection with their alleged dealings while in office.