AP News Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick has implemented a new policy that text messages sent on city-owned devices are considered private. Kilpatrick and his ex-top aide face perjury charges for testimony they gave during a whistleblowers' trial that they didn't have a romantic relationship. Sexually explicit text messages have contradicted that testimony. Kilpatrick's lawyers say federal law protects the release of such communications. Past policy had been electronic communications were public. The mayor's office said in a statement Thursday that city policies are always subject to change. The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press say the new policy began April 15.

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