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Petition aims to get President Obama to grant clemency for Kwame Kilpatrick

Posted at 6:22 PM, Oct 31, 2016
and last updated 2016-10-31 20:12:21-04

Supporters of former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick are on a new mission to get him released from prison.

They have started a petition on change.org to get President Obama to grant Kilpatrick clemency.

Organizers say they have collected almost 17,000 names in their quest to reach 25,000.

Kilpatrick is serving 28 years in federal prison for bribery, extortion, fraud and racketeering. In June, the U.S. Supreme Court denied his fight for a new trial.

The group is called "The People for the Release of Kwame Kilpatrick." They say they agree that Kilpatrick should have to pay for what he did, but his 28-year sentence is excessive.

The petition says Kilpatrick should not be allowed to rot in prison, but instead, should be released and given the chance to work for state and local government to educate young politicians about corrptuion.