Jun 30, 2008 6:34 pm US/Eastern
Grand Jury Enters Week 2 Of Dixon Investigation
BALTIMORE (WJZ) ―
A grand jury enters its second week of hearing evidence in the investigation into Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon.
The probe is centered on corruption allegations and her admitted relationship with a prominent city developer.
Mike Hellgren has the latest developments.
A number of people close to the mayor have been subpoenaed to testify. The major development Monday involves security for grand jurors. A judge has ordered the public, including the media, keep a distance from the grand jury room.
The secrecy surrounding grand jury proceedings in the Mitchell Courthouse in the investigation into Mayor Sheila Dixon ramped up with the judge's order that the public stay at least 100 feet away from the grand jury room. The judge says that's for security because the area is vulnerable.
The mayor has no events listed on her public schedule, but last Wednesday, she complained about leaks in this case.
"I think that's more disturbing than anything, the fact that I can't talk about this out here in the public. These are allegations, but there are certain media people that have access through the prosecutor's office or wherever else is leaking it and that bothers me," she said.
The prosecutor is looking into whether the mayor received lavish gifts from Ron Lipscomb in exchange for voting on multi-million dollar tax breaks and zoning benefiting his company, Doracon.
"You look at what's happening to the mayor. If she'd done something wrong, you'd think they would have found out about it over three years," said lawyer Billy Murphy.
The grand jury met all last week in the case.
WJZ has learned the grand jury room has been reserved through July. Several city employees have been subpoenaed to testify, including the mayor's former communications director, whose testimony has been postponed.
Dixon has not been charged with any crime.
"The theory behind the secrecy was that, `Well, gee, the only way that we can get everyone to be willing to come forward and give their evidence is that if everyone knows it's secret and no one will say what took place in there,'" said legal analyst Byron Warnken.
The mayor has denied any wrongdoing and has declined to say whether she has been subpoenaed to testify before grand jurors.
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