Mayor indicted for theft, perjury again

BALTIMORE, July 30 (UPI) -- A Baltimore grand jury delivered two new indictments against Mayor Sheila Dixon, charging her with perjury and theft, among other things.

The indictments charge Dixon with nine criminal counts, including perjury for allegedly failing to report thousands of dollars a developer whom she was dating spent on her and theft for allegedly using gift cards she sought for use by the city's needy population, The Baltimore Sun reported Thursday.

The indictments handed down Wednesday replace one delivered in January. A judge dismissed five of the 12 charges in May. In a news release, Prosecutor Robert Rohrbaugh said the original case will be dropped.

Dixon said she is "staying focused" on her agenda for the city, the Sun said.

Of her ongoing legal battle, Dixon said, "Hey, you know, it makes you stronger."

The new indictments likely will delay Dixon's trial scheduled to start in September, the Sun said, while her attorneys begin a new round of discovery and move to dismiss some or all of the charges.