Nov 6, 2009 7:09 pm US/Eastern
Dixon's Court Costs Drawing Attention
BALTIMORE (WJZ) ―
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Jury selection begins Monday for the trial of Mayor Sheila Dixon who is charged with stealing giftcards intended for the needy, and the expense is drawing attention.
CBS
Jury selection begins Monday for the trial of Mayor Sheila Dixon. She's charged with stealing gift cards intended for the needy.
It's the first of two trials the mayor faces, and as
political reporter Pat Warren explains the expense is drawing attention.
Mayor Dixon looks forward to vindication.
"A lot of truth will come out, and that's all I have to say on that," said Dixon.
Friday the mayor's legal fees are getting attention. Some estimate her legal fees for two trials, one for theft, the other perjury, are in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. If she's acquitted, the city may have to pay it.
"Right now I'm focused on today," said Dixon.
Legal expert Byron Warnken says the fees probably won't influence the outcome of the trial, but it may present a problem for the mayor.
"I don't think jurors are going to find her guilty or not guilty as to whether or not it's going to affect their property tax rate, but the reality is, politically it is a big deal because there's a big difference between her being found not guilty and the city coming up with say a million dollars versus her being found guilty and the city doesn't pay it," said Warnken.
Mayor Dixon and her attorneys are not answering questions about how she will pay.
"My guess is the lawyers have gone into this with an understanding in their own mind, if we can win in this case, we will get paid. If we can't win in this case, we may have gotten paid something, but we're only going to get a small amount of what we're owed. I have no idea the answer, that's my guess," said Warnken.
The mayor is sticking to her schedule up until the time she appears in court.
"Just making sure things are moving forward and focusing on my schedule for today," said Dixon. "I maintain my confidence every day. I take it one day at a time."
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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