Prosecutor to Mayor Kwame: Resign or deal in one assault charge; Kwame said no deal.

Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's lawyers rejected a plea deal offered by Michigan's attorney general keeping him on track to go to trial on charges he interfered with deputies trying to serve a subpoena.

"I think that that deal has nothing to do with the case itself," Kilpatrick attorney James Thomas said outside the courtroom moments ago, apparently inferring that politics was at play.

Thomas called Prosecutor Douglas Baker's offer to drop one of the two charges in return for the mayor's resignation by Sept. 3 "gratuitous."

The other part of the deal would require the mayor to plead guilty to the remaining felony count.

Baker declined to discuss how the deal would be advantageous to the mayor.
"If it can settle the case, it's something that our office has decided would be a satisfactory resolution to the case," Baker said outside the courtroom. A veteran Wayne County prosecutor, Baker is retired but working on a contract to handle the case for Michigan Attorney General Cox. Cox called for Kilpatrick's resignation several months ago, after the mayor used the N-word and made other divisive comments during his State of the City speech.

Baker said he had not spoken with Gov. Jennifer Granholm before offering the deal. Granholm is scheduled to hold removal hearings for the mayor beginning Sept. 4.

Granholm, speaking to reporters at the Capitol this morning about the upcoming Democratic National Convention, declined to take questions about Kilpatrick or the plea offer.

Baker said the offer is not being made in conjunction with Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy.

“This is our offer, and it’s on our case," he said.

It's not clear if Cox offered the deal to help the governor avoid what is widely seen as a difficult decision she is reluctant to make. Cox is a Republican. Granholm is a Democrat.

Despite rejecting this morning's offer -- which Baker said is still available until Sept. 3 -- Thomas said: "We'll consider anything they have to say that's reasonable."

Wayne County Circuit Judge David Groner told all parties to be in court at 2 p.m. Monday to discuss bond terms. He started the proceedings by entering a not guilty plea for Kilpatrick, who stood mute.
Court has just been adjourned.

From from Freep.com.

Hat tip to Freep.com for video of Kwame's court hearing.