By Justin Husdon, Contributing Writer 

Inglewood Mayor Roosevelt Dorn has resigned from his office after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor conflict-of-interest charge.

Dorn, who had been mayor since 1997, was facing three felony counts in a case stemming from a $500,000 loan he took out in 2004. Earlier that year, he had voted to extend a city loan program designed to help city executives afford to live in Inglewood to elected officials.

According to Kerman Maddox, a political consultant who managed Dorn's campaigns, the former mayor decided not to fight the charges in court after the presiding judge ruled out favorable evidence that could have helped his cause.

“I'm not surprised he pleaded guilty, only because the judge was unwilling to allow his counsel to introduce evidence to Mayor Dorn's case,” Maddox said.

Inglewood City Councilman Daniel Tabor thought Dorn would go to trial.

“Initially, I was shocked when I learned of his resignation. He was looking forward to his day in court. He was pretty confident he could prevail.'

As part of the plea, which Dorn made on the first day of jury selection, the 74 year old will no longer be allowed to hold any public office for the rest of his life. He was also placed on two-year probation and fined $1,000.

Maddox insists Dorn was told by a city attorney that taking advantage of the loan was legally permissible. Even when the mayor was informed by the District Attorney that taking the loan was wrong, Maddox said Dorn quickly rectified matters.

“Once he found out that the district attorney thought he acted improperly, he immediately repaid the loan,” Maddox said.

However, Inglewood City Councilman Daniel Tabor believes the mayor misused the loan program, which was designed to attract qualified out of town executives to the city.

“The loan program was designed to recruit new executives and help them find a place to live in Inglewood,” Tabor said. “I never dreamed that it would be used by elected officials, and especially Mayor Dorn.”

The guilty plea and subsequent resignation marks the dubious end to  Dorn's long career as a public official. He rose to prominence as a strict Juvenile Court judge in Inglewood known for rulings that were tougher than his judicial peers.

In 1997, he decided to run for mayor of a city that was $8 million in debt, rapidly losing businesses, and struggling with crime. Since he took office, the city has seen a flood of new developments and retail centers and a significant drop in crime.

Tabor believes Dorn's transgressions should not tarnish his overall legacy.
“When you consider his time as a judge, his time as an assistant pastor at FAME, and his time as mayor, it's still a great body of work. The commitment to community is still there.”

With Dorn now out of the picture, the Inglewood City Council will more than likely vote to hold a special election that will coincide with the June primaries. In the meantime, each one of the four council members will rotate into the job of mayor pro tem to ensure the city is run smoothly until the election.