Businessman scores courtroom win, judge orders big shots to stand

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Detroit businessman Bob Carmack is facing felony fraud charges for selling a piece of land once owned by the city for $1 million. 

The city says he never paid for the land. Carmack says it was his because of the city sentiment deed. 

A witness for the city said today that the paperwork Carmack’s lawyers used to justify the deal did not necessarily mean what they said it meant. But that same witness later agreed that it was possible to buy land without spending any cash money. 

Carmack’s attorneys now say that Carmack was entitled to the land because he spent a small fortune to develop another piece of city property on a deal that never went through.

City lawyers tried to block prominent former city officials from being called as witnesses in the case. But the judge ruled today that they may have information that is relevant to the case and agreed that they could be called as witnesses, because she said it’s impossible to know what they know without asking them. 

The case resumes tomorrow, and I’ll be there to track the latest developments.