Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon sentenced

Posted: 10:34 am Thu, February 4, 2010
By Brendan Kearney
Daily Record Legal Affairs Writer

Sheila A. Dixon, who will resign as mayor of Baltimore at noon today, declined to address the court at her sentencing hearing this morning, as did the state prosecutor.

Visiting Judge Dennis M. Sweeney, however, had a few things to say.

“Simply put, Ms. Dixon leaves the office in total disgrace,” Sweeney said.

Speaking in an even-keeled tone, Sweeney said that more than any sentence, Dixon’s disgrace is a “heavy penalty” and a “badge of dishonor” that she will live with for the rest of her life.

While Dixon has made comments in the media about being unjustly pursued for prosecution, the judge said, “That view simply does not stack up with the facts.”

From his vantage as the presiding judge at Dixon’s trial, Sweeney said, the jury had been “generous” and defenses to the one misdemeanor embezzlement count on which she was found guilty were “unconvincing.”

Referring to the untried perjury counts that were resolved by the plea deal, he said, “Conviction on one or more counts would have been a virtual certainty.”

Sweeney imposed the agreed-upon sentence of four years’ probation before judgment, a $45,000 charitable contribution to nonprofits, and 500 hours of community service.

He also said he hoped that ethics changes “under the new administration” of Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, who will assume office upon Dixon’s resignation, “will have a shelf-life beyond the next election.”

Outside the courthouse after the sentencing, Dixon’s defense attorney was circumspect about Sweeney’s comments.

“The good thing about being the judge is that no one responds to you,” said the lawyer, Arnold M. Weiner.