Kwame's family still hopeful former Detroit mayor gets pardon from Pres. Obama

The family of Kwame Kilpatrick is still holding out hope that President Obama will pardon or reduce the sentence of the disgraced Detroit Mayor.

Supporters haved for President Obama to set the former Mayor free, especially in the wake of Tuesday's commutation of several sentences, including Chelsea Manning.

"I just hope that President Obama does the right thing," Kilpatrick's brother in law, Daniel Ferguson, said.

Kilpatrick was sentenced to 28 years in prison for public corruption but Ferguson said that the President needs to take action because Kilpatrick never did what he was accused of doing.

"It doesn't worry me because there was no public corruption," he said.

Will it happen? It's all up to the Commander in Chief. A pardon or a reduction in the sentence is completely discretionary with the President.

"This gives the President unlimited power to exercise this as a means of effectuating justice where the system needs that to be done," UDM law Professor Larry Dubin

Translation, The 28 year sentence was too long.

As of Wednesday, the President has shown mercy to nearly 1600 convicted criminals, The most of any president in history, mostly by reducing their sentences. But not Kwame.

There are no rules for a President to grant a pardon or reduce the sentence. But there are guidelines where a President looks to the seriousness of the crime - and Kwame Kilpatrick was convicted of what may be the worst public corruption crimes in the country's history.

"I think he's guilty of what he did," Jessie Johnson said. "I think you should stay there. I don't think you did Detroit right by me."

Over 20,000 people disagree. The family got them all to sign a petition asking the President to pardon the former mayor.

"Look at all the evidence and make an educated and heartfelt decision," Ferguson said.

For now though, Kwame Kilpatrick will wait it out - in an Oklahoma federal prison.