Relief!... Judge allows Kwame Kilpatrick to attend DNC convention in Denver without having to wear his ankle bracelet

Facing criminal charges including perjury and obstruction of justice charges, a Michigan judge has ruled Kwame Kilpatrick can attend the DNC convention in Denver without having to wear his electronic monitoring bracelet. Detroit Free Press:

As the Wayne County prosecutor rushes to the Michigan Court of Appeals trying to overturn a judge's ruling allowing Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick to attend the Democratic National Convention, the Free Press has just learned that the judge who approved the trip has imposed stricter travel restrictions on Kilpatrick.

Wayne County Circuit Judge Leonard Townsend earlier this morning ruled that the mayor may attend the Democratic National Convention in Denver later this month and may take off his electronic tether, but in a decision that may surprise even Kilpatrick's attorneys, Townsend said the mayor otherwise may not leave Wayne County.

Kilpatrick attorney James Thomas told reporters he believed the mayor could travel in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties -- as previous judges had ruled -- without court permission.

But after all the attorneys had left the courtroom, Townsend told the Free Press he was limiting Kilpatrick to Wayne County.

Regarding the appeal of Townsend's surprise approval of the Denver trip, prosecution spokeswoman Maria Miller said: "We will be taking an immediate emergency appeal to the Court of Appeals on Judge Townsend's order today releasing the mayor from the tether and allowing him to attend the Democratic National Convention."

Kwame will fit right in with the other Dems under indictment who'll be there. (For starters, see here and here and here.) And maybe Kwame can compare jail stories with one of the speakers at the Denver convention, Don Siegleman, who is out of prison on appeal. .
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Hat tip: Michelle Malkin. Photo via Flickr