Ex-State Sen. Virgil Smith
A stain on Detroit politics this year is that many candidates have felony convictions.
In the mayoral primary, four of eight candidates had criminal records. And in the city council race, one nominee -- past state Sen. Virgil Smith -- pleaded guilty last year to felony-level malicious destruction of personal property.
Some hoped Smith's latest conviction would prevent him from staying in the race.
But that's not to be. The Michigan Court of Appeals on Tuesday ruled 2-1 against stopping Smith from running in the general election, reports Michigan Radio. Days after Smith won the Aug. 8 primary, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy asked the Court of Appeals to block him from running.
Smith agreed not to seek elected office for five years when he pleaded guilty in March 2016 to shooting at his ex-wife's car in May 2015. But that part of the deal was thrown out by a judge, who said it was unconstitutional. Smith went on to serve 10 months in jail.
In the latest ruling, Appeals Court Judges Deborah Servitto and Michael Kelly said it would be "coercion" to allow prosecutors to try to negotiate a politician's future as part of a plea deal, Michigan Radio reports.
Council President Pro Tem George Cushingberry Jr. came in third place in the District 2 race in the primary. Roy McCalister Jr. and Smith, the two top vote-getters, will run against each other in the November election.
Had Smith been bumped from the race, Cushingberry would have been declared one of the winners and run in the general election.
