BOSTON -- A Boston City Councilor accused of accepting a $1,000 bribe pronounced his innocence Friday as supporters rallied around him when he left a Worcester courthouse.

Uncut: Turner Says He's Innocent

Chuck Turner was arrested earlier in the day by federal agents after the 68-year-old was accused of taking the bribe in exchange for his help securing a liquor license for a proposed club in Roxbury. He was released on a $50,000 unsecured bond after the initial court appearance.

"I have said many times over the last few years that I do not agree with the process of trying people in the media," Turner said. "I am absolutely positive that a jury of my peers will come to the conclusion that I am innocent. The reason why I believe that will be their conclusion is that I know I am innocent."

Turner said that his immediate concern is not with the case, but the fact that he was appearing in court, the FBI asked the city council president to turn off his computers and telephone. He said that he plans to challenge the move to "deprive my district -- a district of majority black and Latino constituents -- of the representative that they have chosen."

He said the city council plans to meet on Monday to determine if he will continue to serve.

"The city council has no voice as to whether I continue to serve. The only people who can make the decision whether I serve my constituents are my constituents," Turner said.

"Neither the council president nor any representative of the City Council took any action today to prohibit Councilor Turner or his staff from accessing their office. It is our hope that the residents of City Council District 7 continue to receive representation and access to constituent services," City Council President Maureen Feeney said in a statement late Friday.

In a criminal complaint released by the U.S. attorney's office, Turner, who is known for his community activism in one of the city's predominantly African-American districts, was charged with attempted extortion under color of official right and making false statements.

Turner allegedly met with the informant in his Roxbury office in August 2007. According to the complaint, the informant gave Turner the money, saying, "You take your wife to dinner and ... have some fun," while Turner accepted the money, smiling, and saying "OK."

Surveillance photos released by the FBI show Turner allegedly taking the money. Investigators said they attempted to give Turner more cash at his City Council office later, but were prevented from doing because his assistant intruded on the transaction.

If convicted, Turner faces up to 20 years imprisonment, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine on the attempted extortion charge. He faces five years in imprisonment, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine on the false statements charge.

Last month, Former State Sen. Dianne Wilkerson was arrested and indicted this week on charges of allegedly taking more than $23,000 in bribes in exchange for getting the proposed Dejavu nightclub a liquor license and for her aid in a land development deal in her district, which is also Turner's City Council district in Roxbury.

Undercover photos of Wilkerson allegedly stuffing thousands of dollars into her bra at a Beacon Hill area restaurant were released as part of the investigation. Wilkerson resigned her Senate seat this week.

Just last week, Turner gave an exclusive interview to the Jamaica Plain Gazette about the investigation. He told the newspaper that he has done nothing wrong and never took any money.

"As far as their behavior with me, it shows me the FBI is still an organization that seems to focus on trying to take black politicians down," Turner said. "The FBI is, from my perspective, an evil institution."