Hearing may determine whether ex-senator goes to trial

MEMPHIS — A court hearing Thursday is expected to make clear whether a former state senator will continue to fight charges that he accepted payoffs from undercover FBI agents.

Former Sen. Roscoe Dixon, a Memphis Democrat, is one of five current or former state lawmakers arrested in May in the federal investigation called Tennessee Waltz. All face federal bribery, extortion and conspiracy charges for taking money to sponsor legislation favoring what turned out to be a fake company created by the FBI.

Last month, Shelby County Commission Chairman Michael Hooks Sr. was indicted by a federal grand jury for taking bribes from undercover FBI agents in exchange for using his influence to help the fake company land a lucrative county contract. Hooks pleaded not guilty earlier this month.

Attorneys for both Dixon and Hooks said Thursday’s appearances are routine hearings for setting court dates. But there has been speculation as to whether Dixon will change his innocent plea.

Following guilty pleas by two “bag men” in the corruption case, Dixon’s attorney told a judge at a hearing last month that “we’re not sure yet” about going to trial to fight the charges. On Tuesday, defense lawyer Walter Bailey said “nothing’s changed since the hearing.”

The two bag men charged in the case are Barry Myers, who was named in the same indictment with Dixon, and lobbyist Charles Love of Chattanooga, who was charged in separate indictments. Both have pleaded guilty to passing along payoffs to lawmakers from FBI agents posing as businessmen seeking favors in Nashville.

The February sentencing hearings for Myers and Love likely will come after any trials for their co-defendants.

The only other person to plead guilty is former Republican state Rep. Chris Newton, who is also scheduled to be sentenced in February. Prosecutors have said Newton cooperated with authorities investigating the charges against him.

Also indicted are former Memphis Democratic Sen. John Ford; Sen. Ward Crutchfield, D-Chattanooga; and Sen. Kathryn Bowers, D-Memphis.

Dixon resigned before the indictments to take a job with the Shelby County mayor. Ford resigned days after his arrest in May, although he has contended that he left the Legislature because of new laws restricting consulting work. Newton resigned just before he pleaded guilty.