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As Detroit struggles to fix its ongoing financial woes, blighted neighborhoods, and shrinking population, a divisive specter from its past has emerged: Kwame Kilpatrick.

Mr. Kilpatrick was Detroit鈥檚 mayor for six years before heading to prison in 2008 on a perjury charge. He is back as the principal target of a federal trial that charges him with 38 counts of racketeering conspiracy, extortion, bribery, fraud, false tax returns, and tax evasion.

Federal prosecutors essentially accuse Kilpatrick and three others of treating city hall like the central unit of an organized crime family: shaking down city contractors and nonprofit donors for bribes and wielding influence to reap millions of dollars in kickbacks. The charges also cover Kilpatrick鈥檚 time as a state representative from 1996 through 2001.

The trial 鈥渋s certainly not helpful to the city鈥� as it tries to rebuild its image, and the proceedings could make major headlines until January, says Patrick Henning, a law professor at Wayne State University in Detroit. While a conviction would help the city 鈥減ut Kilpatrick behind it,鈥� he says, a hung jury and a second trial 鈥渃ould occupy the city for another year or even two.鈥�

An acquittal could even give Kilpatrick a second life in local politics.

鈥淗e鈥檚 a very likable person, that鈥檚 why he remains such a polarizing figure 鈥� a lot of people still like him,鈥� Professor Henning says. 鈥淚f he could run again [for mayor], I think he could win, largely because turnout is so low, someone with the devoted following that he has would still follow him.鈥�

Kilpatrick maintains he is innocent. Opening statements in the trial started Friday.

The story of Kilpatrick and his alleged co-conspirators 鈥� his father Bernard, childhood friend Bobby Ferguson, and former Detroit water chief Victor Mercado 鈥� is seen by many as the story of Detroit itself, which has been long maligned for corrupt politics and mismanaged assets. Detroit's current mayor, David Bing, has made government accountability the prime focus of his administration and has gone further than his recent predecessors in restructuring how the city spends money and offers services.

When Kilpatrick was charged two years ago, Mayor Bing released a short statement saying his administration was 鈥渄isappointed by continued revelations of the mistakes of the past,鈥� and that it would 鈥渃ontinue to work hard to restructure city government to a level of accountability, transparency and performance.鈥�

Kilpatrick was once a rising star in the Democratic Party in Michigan. Dubbed the "hip-hop mayor,鈥� he became the youngest person ever elected in the city at age 31. His charisma helped win over voters, even as he installed family and friends in key administrative positions at city hall.

His tenure came crashing down when he pleaded guilty to two felony charges of obstruction of justice in 2008 in an unrelated scandal and subsequently spent 14 months in prison for a probation violation.

In opening statements Friday, Assistant US Attorney Mark Chutkow told jurors Kilpatrick and his associates 鈥渕ade themselves rich by taking public money for themselves and away from the city.鈥� He said Kilpatrick redirected city contracts or pressured city contractors working with the city鈥檚 water and sewage department to subcontract with a company run by Mr. Ferguson for work that was often not performed.

In other cases, prosecutors say contracts were rigged so Ferguson would be awarded the job. These contracts involved some of the biggest public work during Kilpatrick鈥檚 tenure, such as the demolition of Tiger Stadium and the partial demolition of the Book Cadillac Hotel.

Kilpatrick pocketed more than $540,000 as mayor 鈥渙ver and above his salary,鈥� Mr. Chutkow said.

Kilpatrick defense attorney James Thomas tried to discredit some of the government鈥檚 key witnesses. Mr. Thomas also described the prosecution鈥檚 strategy as a 鈥渟cam鈥� and said Kilpatrick was a victim of the 鈥渕essy鈥� business of local politics in Detroit.

鈥淵ou鈥檙e going to learn about politics. Politics is like making sausage. You know it鈥檚 not pretty. It鈥檚 messy. But once it鈥檚 cooked, it tastes pretty good,鈥� Thomas told jurors.

Due to the wealth of evidence and the challenge of connecting the dots, the government faces the hurdle of keeping jurors engaged for the length of the trial.

鈥淭丑别 US is trying to say he was corrupt even before he was elected [as mayor], and that being elected was part of a plan,鈥� says Henning. 鈥淭丑别y鈥檙e really putting on a case that shows a depth of corruption you don鈥檛 see very often.鈥�