Kilpatrick's wife did little work for pay

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DETROIT, Sept. 28 (UPI) -- A witness at a corruption trial said former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick used his position to secure grants for two non-profits that then hired his wife.

Kilpatrick allegedly secured $800,000 in grants from the Michigan Legislature for two Detroit non-profits that then used that money to hire his wife, Carlita Kilpatrick, The Detroit News reported.

"It was not a normal grant," Donna Williams, former head of the Vanguard Community Development Corp., a non-profit headed by the Kilpatricks' pastor, Bishop Edgar Vann, testified Thursday. Vanguard hired Carlita Kilpatrick.

Prosecutors said Carlita Kilpatrick received about $137,500 in state money from the two grants in exchange for doing little work.

Mary Lannoye, a former state budget director, testified that she complained about Carlita Kilpatrick's involvement.

"I thought these grants were supposed to be for community grants to help nonprofits and not for a legislator's relatives or personal gain," Lannoye said.

Kilpatrick, 41, is accused of using his position to enrich himself. His father and two others -- friend Bobby Ferguson and former city employee Victor Mercado -- also are charged. Two others -- former aide Derrick Miller and ex-fundraiser Emma Bell -- have pleaded guilty and are expected to testify against Kilpatrick.

The former mayor has pleaded innocent.