Jeffrey Beasley (Photo from WXYZ)
Federal prosecutors in Detroit will be fighting to prop up the credibility of their key witness in an upcoming corruption trial against Kwame Kilpatrick's fraternity brother Jeffrey Beasley, the former Detroit treasurer, accused of seriously harming the city's pensions while enriching himself.
The problem is that key witness, Walter Stampor, 70, former executive secretary of Detroit’s two pension funds, pleaded guilty Wednesday in Macomb County Circuit Court to child pornography charges, The News reports.
Defense attorneys love to try and undermine the credibility of government witnesses, and criminal convictions often provide some ammunition. Trial is set to begin Oct. 7.
The News writes:
Jurors will be told about his criminal record but prosecutors and defense lawyers are expected to fight over whether the words “child porn” will be mentioned in court.
The News writes that Stampor is expected to provide an insider’s view of a pension system plagued by corruption that cost retirees more than $84 million in losses as part of an alleged scheme headed by frat brother Beasley.
Beasley's co-defendants are past pension fund lawyer Ronald Zajac, former pension Trustee Paul Stewart and pension fund businessman Roy Dixon.
Beasley is accused of taking bribes and kickbacks in exchange for approving more than $200 million in investments made by the city’s pension funds.
-- Allan Lengel
