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Mayor Sheila Dixon
(Photo: Sean Yoes / Afro American Newspapers)
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By Sean Yoes
AFRO Staff Writer
(January 9, 2009) - Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon was indicted today on 12 charges including perjury and theft. The State Prosecutor’s office announced the indictment on the final day of a four-month grand jury session.
The charges against Dixon, the city’s first female mayor are linked in part to gifts she received from prominent Baltimore developer Ronald Lipscomb, with whom Dixon has acknowledged having a personal relationship.
On Wednesday, Lipscomb was indicted on one count of bribery along with City Councilwoman Helen Holton, who was charged with accepting a bribe, perjury, malfeasance and nonfeasance in office.
Dixon offered the following statement this afternoon:
“There is something I want to tell the citizens of this great city about the charges that the State Prosecutor has brought against me today.
For the past two years, I have done my best to serve the City of Baltimore as Mayor, and I will continue to do so. I will not let these charges deter me from keeping Baltimore on the path that we have set, or from carrying forward the significant progress we have made thus far.
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Officers leaving Mayor Sheila Dixon's home during the investigation back in June, 2008
AP Photo / Steve Ruarck
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I am being unfairly accused. Time will prove that I have done nothing wrong, and I am confident that I will be found innocent of these charges. But, for the moment, I cannot comment further on the allegations that have been made against me. Instead, my attorneys will address these matters on my behalf.
I want to make it clear, though, that I will continue to put all of my energies into running the City of Baltimore during these perilous economic times. And with God's grace, I am confident that the city, my family and I will weather this storm.”