More text messages revealed in Detroit mayor sex scandal

In a text message Beatty sent to Kilpatrick on May 15, 2003, that was contained in the document released Tuesday, she said: "I'm sorry that we are going through this mess because of a decision that we made to fire Gary Brown."

Kilpatrick said last September that the city would appeal a jury's verdict in favor of two officers in one of the lawsuits. But after Stefani gave one of Kilpatrick's lawyers a motion for attorney's fees that contained excerpts of the text messages, the suit was settled and the motion was never filed in court.

The judge said Tuesday he agreed to release the document because he believes it directly led to the deal that was reached between the three former officers and the city.

Following a community forum Tuesday evening, Kilpatrick questioned the authenticity of the messages and said their release did not provide a "the smoking gun" some had expected.

"All the lawyers have testified that this had nothing to do with the settlement." Kilpatrick said.

"It seems that it's just a regurgitation of old news. And it's unfortunate that now we're printing something as true that came off somebody's computer," he said.