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City council member a no-show for traffic court
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BALTIMORE (Map, News) - Baltimore City Council Member Rochelle “Rikki” Spector failed to appear in court Wednesday on charges that she disobeyed a traffic officer.
The veteran council member was facing a $290 fine for a controversial ticket that city Department of Transportation officials failed to enter into court records for several months but added onto the docket after three stories about the missing ticket appeared in The Examiner last month.
Attending a Maryland Economic Development Conference in Hagerstown on Wednesday, Spector said in a phone interview that she had requested a new trial date in a letter sent to court officials on March 25.
However, Spector said she had not heard back from the Baltimore City District Court and was unaware her request had not been processed.
“I sent a letter requesting a new trial and they told me it would take a few weeks to get back to me,” Spector said, adding that she requested another trial to fight the ticket she claims was issued in error.
“I really feel bad about this whole thing and it just makes it worse that I did not receive a new trial date,” she said. “I am very sorry to have wasted the officer’s time.”
The missing ticket was issued on Nov. 11, citing failure to obey a lawful order from a traffic enforcement officer.
Spector complained to transportation officials, who later said the ticket had been “abated” after an investigation concluded the agent did not communicate properly with Spector.
Records recounting the officer’s version of events indicate Spector failed to obey orders to drive straight through the intersection of Lombard and South streets. Instead, Spector made a turn. Spector later said that she was late for a banquet and that the officer was rude.
sjanis@baltimoreexaminer.com
lbroadwater@baltimoreexaminer.com
Comments from Examiner Readers
3:28 PM MST on Fri., Apr. 18, 2008 re: "City council member a no-show for traffic court"
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10:27 AM MST on Fri., Apr. 18, 2008
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11:28 AM MST on Thu., Apr. 17, 2008
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7:51 AM MST on Thu., Apr. 17, 2008
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examiner reader said:
Rikki needs a bench warrent!!
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Examiner Reader said:
I guess Rikki is just a bit more of an elitest than others. But Ms. Rikki will get away with it. And if the magistrate lets her get away with out the fine. He or she should be fired!!! What a snob!!!
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Ms. Nakia said:
If this woman were African American I can assure you a warrant would have been issued. This just proves we are all created equal but some are more equal than others.
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Examiner Reader said:
Now the Court needs to issue an arrest warrent for “Rikki” on failure to appear. She needs to be arrested, charged, and jailed.
1 agree | 0 disagree
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