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AN INDEPENDENT VOICE FOR THE LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER COMMUNITIES
Former Baltimore Pride Coordinator Pleads Guilty to Theft By Steve Charing Washington Blade Just as leaders from the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center of Baltimore and Central Maryland (GLCCB) are gearing up to host Pride 2016, the 2015 Pride Coordinator, Paul Liller, accepted a plea deal in a case in which he had been accused of theft by GLCCB’s board president Jabari Lyles. Following three postponements that began in Baltimore’s District Court last December, Liller signed an Alford plea agreement in Baltimore Circuit Court on March 30. He pled guilty to a misdemeanor (“Theft – Less than $1,000 value”) without admitting guilt and maintaining his innocence but admitting that the prosecution could likely prove the charge based on the evidence. Liller, 33, was charged, according to Assistant State’s Attorney Toi Mason, with
“taking property” from the GLCCB in the amount of $704.58. Sources told the Blade that it was a result of his using the GLCCB’s debit card to buy non-GLCCB-related items. These purchases allegedly occurred between August 15th and September 15th based on a complaint filed by Lyles on behalf of the GLCCB. According to the original charging documents, they included such items as various art supplies, crafting supplies, and office supplies. Since he had become the GLCCB’s Pride coordinator in late 2014, Liller was appointed the GLCCB’s development coordinator and ultimately deputy director and acting executive director after the resignation of Joel Tinsley-Hall effective July 6, 2015. Liller resigned suddenly on October 13 amidst rumors concerning missing money
April 15, 2016 | Volume XIII, Issue 27
from Pride. The GLCCB then initiated a review of its financial transactions whose findings led to the complaint. As a result of the plea deal, Liller receives an 18-month suspended sentence, two years supervised probation, and restitution to the GLCCB in the amount charged. t
Paul Liller
credit: Steve Charing
GLCCB statement regarding the outcome of the state’s case against Paul Liller By Jabari Lyles GLCCB President On the morning of March 30, 2016, just as the GLCCB team prepared to begin trial, we learned that Mr. Paul Liller, former GLCCB deputy director and Pride coordinator, entered an Alford plea and was found guilty of theft of property and assets of our organization. Mr. Liller was given a suspended sentence of 18 months in prison, two years of supervised probation, and a court order of restitution to pay GLCCB the value of missing goods considered, priced at $704.58. The news of the sudden end to this long journey was certainly shocking, as we had prepared to engage in a lengthy, tiresome, and details-focused trial. This had been our fifth court appearance in less than six
months; prior proceedings were postponed each time, both the state and the defense exhausting their options to postpone, and then an eventual transfer to circuit court. Although the process was lengthy, we remained steadfast in achieving our goal of diligently defending the integrity of how we conduct business as an organization, as well as protecting the assets of our community. Our team is new at GLCCB. Today, we boast a large, dedicated board of directors, a passionate staff and a regularly devoted team of volunteers. We are all, in many ways, new to doing the business as the GLBT Community Center of Baltimore and Central Maryland. However, we are not new to GLCCB’s very public and very tarnished history as an organization. We are
all community members, and were community members before joining the team at GLCCB. We know what you know, and we too have observed the very same things you have observed. What is different about today’s team is we are devoted to eradicating any threats to fulfilling the mission of uniting and empowering sexual and gender minorities in Baltimore and across Maryland. No longer will we turn a blind eye to hate, dishonesty, incompetence, or theft. Too many problems still exist in our community, and too many people have been left unserved, for our community center not to exist as a functioning organization. Our pursuit against Mr. Liller was not only the correct thing to do, it was symbolic of how we will handle improprieties within
our organization moving forward. There is no question that Baltimore still deserves a community center for its vibrant LGBTQ community. However, our center will not exist without support from its community. By the same token, the community will not support an organization that takes its support for granted. The people of Baltimore have been fooled many times by the old GLCCB, and quite honestly, the community is tired and fed up. I say this to reiterate that we, too, are community members and we, too, are fed up. That is why we have spent countless, unpaid hours, over the past seven months, to fix this place that we need. We have vowed to work hard and be transparent with our community, which necessitates a detailed public statement on what —continued on page 7