DETROIT, April 21 (UPI) -- A Detroit consultant facing felony bribery and extortion charges says he hopes to raise money for his defense with a "haters" auction.
Sam Riddle says the novel plan involves his followers on Twitter and Facebook, many of whom he calls his "haters" who post abusive messages, WDIV-TV, Detroit, reported Wednesday.
Riddle says he'll frame the negative postings with his own handwritten reply and auction them off.
He showed one example saying, "Sam, close your big, ugly mouth the next time you take a pic. Scrub your teeth with steel wire brush. It will get the yellow off those crooked, chipmunk teeth you have."
Riddle's reply was: "On my way to a dental clinic! Thanks for the heads up."
But Riddle says there is nothing funny about facing trial.
"I am in a situation that is very serious, and all I can tell you is the only way I know how to fight back and stay alive is to raise the money to get a decent defense team, so I'm not run over by a legal Mack Truck," Riddle said.
Riddle is charged with conspiring with a Detroit city councilwoman, Monica Conyers, to solicit bribes from people for favorable action on their business matters before the city council, WDIV-TV reported.
