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By Cynthia Griffin, OW Staff Writer -- 

With the departure of Inglewood Mayor Roosevelt Franklin Dorn on Sunday, the South Bay city is facing a number of options to fill his unfinished term.

According to a city spokesperson, the charter spells out what can be done and that includes calling for an election either within 120 days, 180 days or waiting until November.

Dorn, who was first elected in 1997 to fill a seat left vacant, when Ed Vincent joined the state senate, went on to win full terms in 1998, 2002 and again in January 2007.

A press release issued by the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office said Dorn resigned and then pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of conflict of interest, but Dorn said he retired and is entitled to all the benefits afforded retired officials.

Dorn was charged in June of 2008 in connection with a low-interest loan he obtained through the City of Inglewood in 2004.

Prosecutors said the former Inglewood Mayor had a law which offered low-interest loans to executive non-elected municipal employees modified to extend the program to elected officials. Then he obtained a $500,000 loan, and allegedly used some of the funds to pay off his residence in Inglewood. The rest went into his bank account. Dorn countered that the law allows for the money to be used as a retirement benefit to pay for a home and maintain it.

Prior to taking public office, Dorn worked as a Sheriff’s Deputy, bailiff and assistant city attorney before being appointed as judge by former governor Jerry Brown.

He served 18 years on the bench.

As result of his guilty plea, the 74-year-old Dorn was convicted of the one misdemeanor count, placed on two years probation, ordered to pay a $1,000 fine, and can never hold public office again.

But Dorn, who alleges he was forced to take the plea deal, said that the finding by the Inglewood City Attorney that the altering of Article 36 to include elected officials violated the charter was wrong and politically motivated.

He also noted that the judge in his case said in court that he had already made up his mind in the preliminary hearing and consequently would not allow evidence from the expert witnesses Dorn believes would have completely exonerated him.

Finally, Dorn believes that the District Attorney offered him a plea bargain because he knew that a case ruled on by the California Supreme Court—Cathy Lexin et al Petitioners—would have also exonerated him.

The ex-Inglewood mayor said his attorney is filing a motion to have his guilty pea set aside but does not hold out much hope it will be granted.