Witness sheds more light on Kilpatrick's alleged bid rigging

Witness Kim Harris testifies ex-mayor Kwame Kilpatrick worked to remove at least one company contracted with city of Detroit

Kim Harris

DETROIT – The latest witness in the trial against former Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick is Kim Harris.

Harris works for the city of Detroit and says he was ordered to strip preferential status from only one company even though several others in similar situations kept their status. The move allowed defendant Bobby Ferguson's team to move up the list and win a multi-million-dollar contract.

Kilpatrick on trial: Who did what to get contracts

Harris testified Thursday that he was told mayor Kilpatrick wanted the company out.

"As a matter of fact he did say, at a point in time, 'I was uncomfortable with this contract. I thought it was being ... some funny business was going on,'" said Local 4 legal expert Todd Flood.

What prosecutors want jurors to remember

After 10 days of testimony about dirty Detroit water department deals, the prosecutors want the jury to remember some important keys to their case:

1. That Kwame Kilpatrick would delay or kill contracts with those who refused to pay his buddy Bobby Ferguson
2. That, ultimately, it is all of us, the customers, who pay the bill for dirty deals
3. That Kwame Kilpatrick and Bobby Ferguson were inappropriately texting each other inside information

"There's no context to those text messages," said Ferguson's attorney, Gerald Evelyn.

What defense wants jurors to remember

The defense wants jurors to remember there is no way to determine Kilpatrick was helping Ferguson based on the text messages. They argue unscrupulous companies had infiltrated the water department and that Kilpatrick was trying to put a stop to the dirty deals by making sure Detroit companies, who could save taxpayer money, got the work.

"Those contracts were canceled for legitimate reasons," said defense attorney Jim Thomas.

Watch: Cobo Hall next focus in Kilpatrick trial

Related:

Kwame Kilpatrick says he thwarted break-in on mom's street
Was Kilpatrick cleaning up, or cashing in on dirty water?
Breaks in Kilpatrick trial test jurors' focus, memory


Kwame Kilpatrick outside Detroit court, Nov. 29, 2012.


Witness Kim Harris outside court on Thursday