2 Kilpatricks Want to Avoid Depositions

BIRMINGHAM, Mich. - The wife and father of Detroit's former mayor are trying to avoid answering some questions. Carlita and Bernard Kilpatrick are attempting to stop a local attorney representing the family of a murdered dancer.

Carlita Kilpatrick, the former mayor's wife, and his father, Bernard Kilpatrick, have been called to sit for sworn depositions in the lawsuit brought by the family of Tamara "Strawberry" Greene. She was a stripper linked to a rumored party at the Manoogian Mansion who was later murdered. The suit charges the city of Detroit and Kwame Kilpatrick obstructed the murder investigation.

The lawyer for the Greene family argues Carlita Kilpatrick should be questioned under oath.

"For starters, Carlita Kilpatrick is said by many to have assaulted Tammy Greene. Of course, if she assaulted Tammy Greene at this now fabled Manoogian Mansion party, that be a fairly good reason for Kwame Kilpatrick to cover up the investigation. Not a lawful one, but one all the same," said attorney Norman Yatooma.

He says the motion to squash Carlita and Bernard Kilpatrick's depositions is nonsense, and the court already denied a similar motion brought by the city of Detroit. The attorney for Carlita and Bernard notified the court that the two would exercise their rights against self incrimination if ordered to answer questions.

"The once highest ranking official in the city that covered up this investigation, and his wife and father want to say I offer no defense at all other than to suggest that I don't want to be criminally prosecuted and I believe that my answers could lead to a criminal prosecution, I'm perfectly fine with those answers. I'll ask every question. They can give me that answer every time," Yatooma said.

Kwame Kilpatrick will be asked about the Greene case later this week.

"I will sit with him in the federal court on Thursday for his deposition," said Yatooma. "What am I expecting? Candidly, what I'm expecting is a lot of nothing. I suspect the mayor will probably seek protection or the fifth amendment."

The case is set to go to trial in January, so it's important to get the Kilpatricks' testimony on the record.

"There's far too much going on with this Kilpatrick family to sit each and every one of them down for a deposition," said Yatooma.