The first public corruption trial against Mayor Sheila Dixon, on charges of theft and embezzlement in connection with the use of gift cards meant for the city's needy at Christmastime, begins Monday. Ever the fighter, ever defiant, Mayor Dixon has said she will attend her trial (as well as the one yet to come on charges of perjury), and in recent days she has said she is looking forward to it because the truth will finally come out.

We certainly hope so - the mayor is absolutely right to suggest that in this case so far, truth has been in short supply. We've seen plenty of evidence from the prosecutor: dates, times, amounts. We have gotten glimpses of testimony from those whose own potential legal liability has made them cooperative. And we've heard plenty of theories from Ms. Dixon's lawyers about whether any of the mayor's alleged conduct is actually against the law. But of the things Baltimore residents really need to know about their mayor - what her actions say about her moral compass, whether she regrets anything she's done or whether she feels her conduct has been beyond reproach - we have heard precious little.