Judge jails Detroit mayor for bond violation, invokes 'John Six-Pack' standard

"[I]f it was John Six-Pack sitting in the seat, what would I do?"

That's a mighty good question 36th District Court Judge Robert Giles asked this morning as Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick begged forgiveness for violating the terms of his bond by taking a trip to Windsor last month without first getting the court's permission.

As a matter of fact, it's a mighty good standard for any judge to apply when dealing with a high-profile defendant who has screwed up by flaunting a court order.

And it's the standard Giles used to revoke Kilpatrick's bond and order him to jail, according to a report in The Detroit News.

The Detroit Free Press reports that:

"Court officials said Kilpatrick would remain in jail until he either posts the full $75,000 bond or until his lawyers can persuade a Wayne County Circuit Court judge to overturn the decision. But first, Kilpatrick would be taken to the 36th District Court detention area."

Kilpatrick's lawyer said the mayor will spend the night in jail, and a circuit-court appeal of Giles' order will be heard tomorrow, reports The Associated Press.

The Free Press reports that Kilpatrick told Giles: "'Last week was a tremendous wake-up call to me,' he said, referring to Giles' rebuke last month after he allegedly assaulted law enforcement officials trying to serve a subpoena."

If Giles' scolding of the mayor last week was a "tremendous wake-up call," I wonder what Kilpatrick will think about the one Giles made this morning: a night in jail, just like any other John Six-Pack.