Detroit mayor offered plea deal in assault case

updated 10:38 a.m. ET Aug. 22, 2008

DETROIT - A prosecutor made a surprising offer Friday to Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick: resign by Sept. 3 in exchange for the dismissal of one of two assault charges.

Doug Baker of the Michigan attorney general's office made the disclosure during a routine arraignment for Kilpatrick on the charges in one of two criminal cases against him.

Kilpatrick attorney Juan Mateo told Circuit Court Judge David Groner he had just learned of the deal offer and wasn't prepared to respond. Another defense attorney, James Thomas, said after the hearing: "We're preparing for trial."

A not guilty plea on the assault charges was entered on the mayor's behalf. Kilpatrick didn't speak in court.

The mayor is accused of shoving a sheriff's detective into another investigator while they tried to serve a subpoena on one of his friends July 24.

Kilpatrick is a superdelegate to the Democratic National Convention next week in Denver. Thomas said last week the mayor is interested in attending but conditions of his bond in the assault case prevent him from traveling outside the metro Detroit area.

A hearing was scheduled for Monday on Kilpatrick's bond conditions.

Meanwhile, Gov. Jennifer Granholm is scheduled on Sept. 3 to consider a request from the Detroit City Council to have Kilpatrick removed from office.

More from msnbc.com World Blog: Bracing for climate-change migrants Bank bailout will cost taxpayers billions   Scoop: Kate says kids 'sobbing' at loss of cameras Brazilian police accused of killing 11,000 since 2003 Send us your salutes to troops, friends, kin Giving back for the holiday season? Tell us how On Twitter: Breaking news updates | Weird and wild

MORE FROM CRIME & COURTS

Crime & courts Section Front

Thousands turn out to honor slain officers FBI expands U.S. terror probe overseas Woman allegedly tried to cut out unborn baby Ohio executes killer with one-drug injection Pair allegedly sells moonshine at day care Teen pleads not guilty to killing neighbor, 9 Ex-FBI director to probe Fort Hood massacre U.S. settles royalty dispute with tribes Surprise! Merchants say Web fraud is down Crime & courts Section Front   Add Crime & courts headlines to your news reader: