Witness insists he was extorted by Kilpatrick, Ferguson

Detroit — Key government witness Tony Soave, under fierce questioning from defense attorneys Thursday, never wavered from claims Kwame Kilpatrick strong-armed him into hiring the ex-mayor's pal and bankrolling a millionaire lifestyle.

The Grosse Pointe Farms businessman withstood almost four hours of cross-examination — a rarity in a case that has seen other witnesses crumple after claiming they were extorted by Kilpatrick, his father Bernard Kilpatrick or contractor Bobby Ferguson.

Soave, 72, calmly answered questions about his business empire, deflected questions about his tough reputation and cracked jokes about his mental state during a quip-filled stint on the witness stand.

By Robert Snell
From The Detroit News:

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