Detroit ex-councilwoman Monica Conyers gets court-appointed lawyer; says she can’t afford one

Conyers gets court-appointed lawyer for appeal

DETROIT — Former Detroit councilwoman Monica Conyers is relying on a court-appointed lawyer to pursue an appeal of her prison sentence for corruption.

That means the public will pick up the tab, even though Conyers’ husband John is a Michigan congressman who’s paid $174,000 a year.

Monica Conyers signed an affidavit declaring she can’t afford a lawyer. Steve Fishman, the attorney who negotiated her guilty plea, says she has no money.

An appeal of her 37-month prison sentence has been assigned to Douglas Mullkoff of Ann Arbor. Conyers was sentenced last week for a bribery conspiracy.

The grounds for an appeal are unclear. A message seeking comment from John Conyers was left with a spokeswoman Tuesday evening.