Prosecutor: Keep Heat On Kilpatrick, Book Profit

DETROIT (WWJ/AP) - Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick won't be able to make money from his autobiography if the Wayne County Prosecutor has anything to say about it.

Kym Worthy has asked a judge to freeze any profits Kilpatrick, who's in prison, might see from his soon-to-be released autobiography " Surrendered! The Rise, Fall and Revelation of Kwame Kilpatrick".

Wayne County Circuit Judge David Groner has set a June 15th hearing in response to Worthy's request for an injunction against the book's publisher, halting distribution of funds until the court has determined how much can be applied to the one million dollar restitution Kilpatrick promised to pay the city over the text messaging scandal.  The publisher started taking advance orders last week for $26.95 per book, but state law restricts convicted criminals' ability to make money from the retelling of their story.

- View a copy of the hearing order and Worthy's letter -
(.pdf format).

Kilpatrick still owes $860,770 in court-ordered restitution to the City of Detroit as part of his plea deal in the 2008 criminal case.

Speaking from prison last week, Kilpatrick indicated that he doesn't intend to profit from the book sales.

"Any money that I make – any dime, any penny I make – will go to pay restitution," Kilpatrick said. "One of the things I've learned over the past year is to be a man of my word," the ex-Mayor said.

Kilpatrick also said he doesn't want to work for anyone ever again, and, once he's free, his plans include public speaking, consulting and running other people's political campaigns. They do not include a return to elected office. (More on last week's interview at this link).

The Associated Press contributed to this report.