Leopold Waives Right to Jury Trial
The Anne Arundel County Executive will let a judge decide whether he's guilty of misconduct in office.
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Anne Arundel County Executive John Leopold—who is accused of tasking county police officers with his 2010 campaign errands—has waived his right to a jury trial.
He's opting instead to let Anne Arundel County Circuit Court Judge Dennis Sweeney decide his fate in a bench trial on four counts of misconduct in office and one count of fraudulent misappropriation by a fiduciary.
The indictment, handed down by a grand jury in March 2012, alleges that Leopold used county police officers assigned to him as a security detail to perform a range of tasks ranging from compiling information on his political "enemies" and removing his opponent's campaign signs in 2010 to running interference between his live-in girlfriend and his mistress.
The indictment also alleges that Leopold defrauded the county by authorizing overtime pay for the officers who performed those tasks. If convicted of fraud, Leopold faces up to five years in prison.
Opening statements are set to begin on Friday morning.
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Maggie Burgone
2:27 pm on Thursday, January 17, 2013
And so the wheels move as they always do... Pretty sure he will keep his job, maybe a little reprimand.
Mary Vecellio
2:27 pm on Thursday, January 17, 2013
I don't know...this doesn't sound good. What if he gets a Judge he's known for years? Even though the evidence says guilt, he could be acquitted....Geezy Peezy!
Nicole Bateman
2:27 pm on Thursday, January 17, 2013
What will happen if he's convicted, who will take his place?
Sally
5:16 pm on Thursday, January 17, 2013
Wow! He should be replaced. No questions asked?
Chris W
8:08 am on Friday, January 18, 2013
Yes, he has a little R next to his name. No no questions, no due process.
He's a witch, burn him!
Mary Vecellio
5:19 pm on Thursday, January 17, 2013
Maybe, whoever takes his place, will be someone with some moral fiber, He doesn't want a trial by jury because he's afraid he'll be convicted, I guess....
Sally
8:50 pm on Thursday, January 17, 2013
He should be convicted !! Not that a I,am racist but if he was african american.. He would have already been replaced.
Chris W
8:08 am on Friday, January 18, 2013
Are you referring to Jones? He was not forced out until he was convicted. Your comment is sickening in its ignorance. Please provide an example where an African American Politician was treated more harshly.
Miker
10:33 am on Saturday, January 19, 2013
Bull . . . he would be put on a pillar . . . and give the Medal of Freedom
W. L.
8:50 pm on Thursday, January 17, 2013
More of the same politics as usual. What did we expect?
Sally
8:50 pm on Thursday, January 17, 2013
He should be convicted !! Not that a I,am racist but if he was african american.. He would have already been replaced. He is probally friends with the judge who will be trying the case.
The Mayor of the Odenton-Severn Patch
9:52 pm on Thursday, January 17, 2013
My guess is that there is some type of plea deal in the works, and that he'll plead guilty to something stupid tomorrow morning and walk out of the Courthouse a free man. You've got to remember that he's got a lot more on the line here than being county executive for the next 23 months. There are many civil lawsuits pending against him. Anything that comes out in the criminal trial could and likely will be held against him in those civil trials. Whether or not he agrees to resign as part of the plea deal is another story entirely. There's no reason for him to continue pursuing this...other than to maintain his pension, which he'll do with a plea to a lesser charge. He'll do his PBJ just like Sheila Dixon did (or is doing) and move on. His political career is toast regardless.
G-Man
2:06 pm on Friday, January 18, 2013
And we (the taxpayers) get stuck with the lawyer fees.