Kilpatrick aide Beatty gets 120-day term

DETROIT, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- A Michigan judge Tuesday sentenced an ex-aide to imprisoned former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick to 120 days in jail on perjury and other charges.

Wayne County Circuit Judge Timothy Kenny said Christine Beatty "misused" her talents as Kilpatrick's chief of staff when she participated with him in an illegal coverup to hide details of their love affair contained in thousands of text messages sent from city-owned pagers, The Detroit News reported.

"I do think this case does represent the triumph of truth over political power and might," Kenny said at the sentencing. "Lying in court has a price tag, even for those who are the politically elite within the community."

The News said Beatty resigned as Kilpatrick's chief of staff last year when leaked copies of the text messages revealed she and Kilpatrick had lied under oath to cover up their 2003 extramarital affair, the newspaper said. The affair became an issue after police officers began investigating allegations of impropriety among Kilpatrick's bodyguards and inner circle, and Kilpatrick negotiated an $8.4 million settlement designed partly to keep the texts secret.

Kilpatrick made a similar plea deal in September and was also sentenced to 120 days in jail.