The Associated Press
BALTIMORE- Former Baltimore police commissioner Ed Norris, who was convicted in 2004 on federal tax and public corruption charges, plans to seek a presidential pardon that would allow him to work in law enforcement again.
“Absolutely, positively, I’d want a pardon,” Norris told The (Baltimore) Examiner for a story published Monday. “I was born to be a cop. I’d go back tomorrow morning if I was able to.”
Norris served six months in federal prison after admitting he used between $10,000 and $30,000 in taxpayer funds for personal expenses - including gifts for several women, expensive meals and stays in luxury hotels.
Norris now hosts a talk show on Baltimore’s WHFS-FM and has a recurring role on the HBO series “The Wire,” which is filmed in Baltimore.
He said his indictment and prosecution by former U.S. Attorney Thomas DiBiagio was politically motivated. The Justice Department later reprimanded DiBiagio for pressing his staff for “front-page” political corruption indictments in 2004.
Norris admits using police department funds for personal expenses but says he paid the money back in full before he left office to become superintendent of the Maryland State Police.
“Even the things that weren’t questionable I paid back,” Norris said.
Gov. Robert Ehrlich, who hired Norris as state police superintendent, commissioner, told The Examiner that he believes Norris was mistreated.
“I think he got the short end of the stick,” Ehrlich said, while declining to comment on whether he would support Norris’ application for a pardon.
David Irwin, Norris’ attorney, said his client will need to finish his community service and supervised release before seeking a pardon.
“As a practical matter, it would be an important part of the package to say you’ve successfully completed all that,” Irwin said.
Norris, whose tenure as police commissioner lasted less than three years, said he still hopes to help fight crime in Baltimore.
“I came to Baltimore because it’s where the need was the greatest,” he said. “I still feel like I could do a lot more there.”